Be aware: you can be charged with shoplifting with a valid receipt. It happened to my daughter
(Long but true story, bear with me) I wish I had known this web site was here 5 years ago when all this happened.
My daughter received 8 or 10 outfits for her baby from her mother-in-law, all with the tags on and the RECFIEPT. All were also way too big. When the door greeter (someone not usually there) didn't stop my daughter to put a sticker on her bag, my daughter went back to get one. This action along with the bulging bag was shown on the SURVELANCE VIDEO.
When this store failed to have the exact items in the correct size, my daughter decided to go to a neighboring Wal-Mart where her mother-in-law shopped, thinking she could exchange them for exact items in the correct size. My son, who was with her and her baby, made a purchase. All three were shown in SURVELANCE VIDEO at the checkout stand. They had just exited the store when someone asked to check the bulging bag my daughter had carried in and now out and was shown in SURVELANCE VIDEO.
The clothes, ALL LISTED ON THE RECEIPT and the sticker the greeter had put in the bag were all there. They told my son to take her baby. They wanted to ask her some questions. They took my daughter (who had in her possession the baby bottle and pacifier) into a room to question her. My daughter was thinking this would all be over quick because she HAD A RECEIPT AND DID NOTHING WRONG, and the Wal-Mart security was making a mistake she could easily correct. She was detained for about half an hour waiting for the police.
Her baby was outside the security room crying with her brother (the baby's uncle). When my daughter asked if she could feed her baby because she could hear her crying, the SECURITY personnel told her "DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR BABY. IT WILL BE GOING INTO FAMILY SERVICES CUSTODY."
My daughter was photographed by Walmart, and CITED FOR SHOPLIFTING by the Desloge Police. She was told that IT DIDN'T MATTER IF SHE HAD A RECEIPT. She had probably picked it up in the parking lot before she stole all those clothes by matching the UPC numbers.
When my daughter asked to have the greeter come tell about the bag she carried in, they brought in the GRAY HAIRED LADY who was always at the door. She said my daughter ran past her when she came into the store. They did not believe another greeter was there at the time as it showed in the SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. When my husband and I went to the store later that evening, we asked to watch the surveillance video with the manager and straighten the whole thing out. We were told no. We would have to GET A LAWYER TO SUBPOENA THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO and they COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO WOULD NOT BE ERASED!!! When we talked to the Desloge Police Department, we were told that WALMART WOULD RETAIN THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AND ALL OTHER EVIDENCE until the court date.
We did get a lawyer and the copy of the video. It showed clearly my daughter was innocent and walmart dropped all charges. I wonder what would have happened if we had not gotten a lawyer to get a copy of the surveillance video??? Remember, WALMART (not the police or court) HAD CONTROL OF THE VIDEO, RECEIPT, and ALLEGED STOLEN PROPERTY. Their greeter lied, would security personnel tamper with the evidence?
They did not make any apology and WALMART STILL HAS $150 WORTH OF MY DAUGHTER'S CLOTHES. My daughter still has nightmares about the ordeal. I'm out $1000 in lawyer fees (my daughter had a new baby and no money). I also have a $300 bill from Walmart to defer their security costs. Obviously I am not paying that bill. I have not shopped at Walmart for 5 years and I will NEVER SHOP AT A WALMART AGAIN!!! Not an easy task considering the rural area I live in, but I don't do anymore impulse shopping.
Actually, NOT shopping at Walmart has probably saved me money. Thank you Walmart!
Gram
Bonne Terre, Missouri
U.S.A.
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