Wal-Mart robbery suspect caught with help from citizen

Also. I might mention that the reasons you stated are Not the main reasons for Wal-Mart's policy. The reason for their policy isn't fear of customers suing them. If the walmart girl would have made it out to the man's car and got her hand shut in the door requiring a trip to the hospital she would have gotten injured on the job. And the biggest thief to Wal-Mart isn't the computer thief. It is Workers Comp. Making companies pay a value equal to up to 20% of each and every employees wages. Workers Comp is the biggest thief of the country, requiring buisness owners to pay them 20% of they amount they shell out in payroll. It doesn't take many accidents to start increasing that premium either. Their policy was written to keep employees from getting hurt while trying to stop a theft. However... Most shoplifters are non-violent, unarmed, and simply trying to sneak out with merchandise. All that is required to stop most shoplifting incidents is a simple interaction.

My advice is to quit being so sissified that you believe that crap. The girl who got fired from walmart kept a thief from running out with a computer valued at nearly 500 bucks. It doesn't take many thefts like that to make a company have to increase their prices to compensate. Some spineless people may say.. "But they have insurance to cover those losses" Although they may have insurance, no company is going to file a claim over every stolen piece of merchandise. The red tape involved with filing a claim for lost property makes it nearly impossible to be compensated for each act of theft. If more people would simply try and stop the thieves instead of let them walk out.. Maybe the thieves might become afraid of being caught. The idea that we as a society are willing to let criminals commit a crime right in front of us while we watch and do nothing is absurd. Americans are supposed to be strong. We are supposed to stand up for whats right. And we are supposed to help our fellow man. How did we become so spineless? I promise that if I ever witness someone stealing from walmart, or any other store.. I Will Stop Them. If I ever catch anyone stealing from the place I work.. I Will Stop Them. I am not some great big bruiting bully. Or someone out to prove how tough I am. I just know that shoplifting has gotten out of control in this city. And its because of our unwillingness to meet the problem head on. If I ever get detained in error for shoplifting I will understand that the employees are just doing their job and trying to prevent theft.. MrKansas your post is an Extreme circumstance. I don't think any DA would approve charges against a company for detaining someone they suspected of shoplifting and holding them until police arrive. Most certainly not kidnapping charges. Believe it or not Brick and Mortar stores have the right to detain anyone they suspect has been shoplifting.

I agree... I understand Wal-mart's policy. By the employee attempting to stop a theft, they are not placing themselves in jeopardy, but other customers as well... Many stores have similar policies… In the recent case where they fired Ms. Ravenstein, even the manager initially congratulated her for her bravery. The following day she was fired once it was revealed that her actions were in violation of company policy. If even the manager isn't fully aware of the policy and initially congratulated her, how can Wal-Mart fire their employees for not abiding by the little-known policy? I would think policies, such as the one that prohibits employees from interfering with crimes, need to be communicated clearly to all employees. Especially, when a violation of the policy does not require unethical or slothful behavior on the part of the employee and can result in immediate termination.

My advice to both of previous posters is to research and attempt to understand the law behind Wal-Mart's policy before simply running off at the mouth about it. If a Wal-Mart worker were to detain someone they suspected of shoplifting but who was in fact innocent, that person would be guilty of unlawful detainment. Depending on the steps they took to prevent the individual from leaving the scene, they may also be guilty of kidnapping. Since they are employees representing Wal-Mart at the time Wal-Mart itself stands to lose a fortune in court, not to mention the criminal charges against the employee. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why Wal-Mart and other brick and mortar stores have such a policy. It does however require someone with an open mind.

That is so true. Maybe they'll ban that citizen from the store.

Since WalMart can't fire the citizen who followed the criminal, will WalMart sue this person for interfering with WalMarts policy of allowing criminals to do as they please?