posted on November 29, 2010 07:26:43 PM new
Customer Shoves 100-Year-Old Wis. Walmart GreeterUpdated: 4 hours 30 minutes ago
Print Text Size Print this page|EmailShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on DiggShare on LifestreamAP MILWAUKEE (Nov. 29) -- A 100-year-old greeter at a Milwaukee Walmart was shoved by a customer after the centenarian tried to stop the woman to determine if she'd paid for items that were in the lower part of her shopping cart, police said Monday.
Greeter Lois Speelman fell down and went to a hospital after she was shoved on Sunday.
"I'm bruised a little, but I'm able to go back to work Thursday," Speelman told The Associated Press from her home on Monday.
Speelman declined to answer further questions, saying she didn't want to lose her job and the investigation wasn't over. A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokeswoman didn't have more details but said that Speelman's health was the company's primary concern.
"Most importantly, our associate is doing OK and we're grateful for that. The actions of this individual are appalling and we appreciate the work of police in this case," spokeswoman Ashley Hardie said.
Sponsored LinksMilwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said the case has been referred to prosecutors for a potential aggravated battery charge.
Speelman became a local celebrity briefly when she was profiled by several news outlets after she celebrated her 100th birthday at the store in August.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Speelman has been twice widowed and started greeting at the store when she was 90. She retired at 95, but came back at 97 after her only living son died and continues to work an average of 34 hours a week.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on November 29, 2010 07:27:41 PM new
It did not say if she is working because she needs the money.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on November 29, 2010 08:00:44 PM new
First off, I agree that this is wrong, however...
When I first quit shopping at Wal Mart a decade ago it was because I refused to be searched whenever I purchased something when I walked out the door. This is the reason why I do not shop at Costco or Best Buy any longer.
Businesses have no right to stop you to search your purchases. Do you ever see them searching people who walk out without items? Seems a bit backwards since most shoplifters try to leave without buying anything.
These companies have absolutely NO right to search us. We can very easily refuse and continue to walk out. If they stop you and insist, in my opinion, they are now detaining you and violating your 4th Amendment rights to illegal searches.
posted on November 30, 2010 10:48:24 AM new
you mean simply checking your receipt against what is in your shopping cart? or are people actually getting searched themselves, like trying to enter a concert?
they have been doing this (checking carts) at Best Buy and other big electronic stores forever, and it makes sense at places like Costco to because you don't get your paid items put into bags - they are just placed back into the cart.
you could just throw something in a cart and walk out with it otherwise, if nobody was checking, or just put some pricey stuff down on the bottom of the cart and pay for some bulk toilet paper and walk out.
it's too bad that people aren't honest, but I think it's an OK alternative to having to bag/tag everything we buy with needless paper/plastic waste
posted on November 30, 2010 11:18:17 AM new
Office Depot has moved all their ink cartridges to an area behind the cashier,you have to tell a store clerk what you want and then go claim it at the checkout counter.
COMPUSA when they were alive and well,the salesman escort you to the cashier,then a person who is not the cashier will verify what you bought and what is being run up.
A contractor told me there was a time some shoppers will go to Home Depot and bought a few items,one of them is a big ticket item say a weedwacker,paid and left the store,put the weedwacker in the car,then returned to the store and claimed they forget to buy something ,then they picked up another weedwacker and a small item,checked out again and showed the cashier the receipt showing he has already paid for the weedwacker.
days later returned one weedwacker and kept the other one,he got a weedwacker free.
This goes on until HD caught on and printed the time on the receipt.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on November 30, 2010 01:50:12 PM new
Exactly hwahwa...it is just a sign of the times we are now living in.
I have no problem with Costco, WalMart, Best Buy or any other Store checking my purchases. If they have the best prices then that is where I will shop.
The same goes for now having to go through an x-ray or pat-down at the airport...a product of the times.
I do however feel that the person who shoved the little old lady at WalMart should be given a prison sentence and time to think about life! It is appalling and I have zero tolerance with that type of behaviour.
posted on November 30, 2010 04:38:01 PM new
I have never been searched leaving any WalMart.
Now BJs, they have to verify that what I have in my cart matches my receipt, what a stupid waste of manpower. I have just come from the cash register. Do you really think I am going to put something in my cart I did not pay for??
Are they checking up on me or the cashier?? either way it is a waste of my time and a waste of a employees salary.
posted on November 30, 2010 05:41:52 PM new
the difference between the examples given is one of public safety vs. theft prevention.
you can most certainly say, "sure, here is my bag and receipt." i would be more curious to ask why they are searching. do you think they will tell you, "we want to make sure you have everything you purchased."
i think it is a tragedy that someone would shove someone for the purpose of shoving them. it doesn't matter how old they are, we just find it even more absurd and appalling when it is someone more vulnerable. Either way, it is wrong.
posted on November 30, 2010 06:09:25 PM new
With BJ and Costco,they have many retailers shopping there-be it cartons of cigarettes,deli condiments,paper napkins,so the loss coould be big !
Home Depot has even fired their store managers for collaborating with outside vendors in stealing store inventory and you are talking 5-6 figures worth of merchandise missing.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on November 30, 2010 06:13:42 PM new
After the Madoff scandal
,a 94 years old man in NYC lost his life savings,instead of shopping at his favorite grocery store,he sought work there and they made him kind of like a greeter,helping customers to locate items in the store.
I went to Home Depot store one day,and there is an elderly gentleman greeter at the door,he is not 94 but could be in his early 70s ,and they assign a young man to be with him.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on December 1, 2010 09:47:12 AM new
theft is a major problem, and most retail stores simply ask to see your bags and receipt... but how effective is this in curbing theft when most theft happens without making a purchase. You never see these people stop someone not carrying something or pushing a cart. in fact, i often question how much "searching" these people really do. i have rarely seen them verify all of your purchases. It is like they look in a bag, wipe their yellow highlighter on your receipt and send you on your way.
there are many more effective ways to curb theft. there is putting expensive items in cases, magnetic security tags, and undercover theft prevention.
i find the whole notion of searching your purchases (now your property) insulting. focus your attention on criminals, not on shoppers who now own the items they paid for.
posted on December 1, 2010 10:14:16 AM new
I dont think most people mind,it is not really searching,they just compare your receipt with what you bought.
If you receipt said you bought 3 items totalled 35 dollars and you are pushing a cart with a 60 inches TV and 5 cases of wine,you have some explanation to do.
There must be a lot of missing ink cartridges at Office depot if they move all the ink cartridges behind the cashier.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on December 1, 2010 05:47:18 PM new
I mind, it is annoying and a time waster. It doesn't happen at Macy's, the grocery store or any where else!!
posted on December 2, 2010 07:26:53 AM new
Some fat lady wearing a trench coat managed to shoplift a frozen turkey by walking out with the turkey between her legs!
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on December 2, 2010 09:35:13 AM new
the reality is that there is very little walmart, best buy, etc can do about requiring searches if they are open to the general public. costco apparently states in their membership agreement that they do this and if you want to join, you have to sign it... however, if you crossed out that line in the agreement and they didn't catch it, you could make an argument.
there are laws in place that require businesses to handle theft a certain way. you are likely not going to get resistance from a greeter at walmart if you refuse. in fact, i would bet to say you'd likely get more resistance at Best Buy considering the average ticket item is much much higher than walmart.
either way, you can refuse. if they attempt to detain you, then you can very easily sue them for an illegal search.
do you want to go through the trouble to do so? doubtful, but you can most certainly make a point. i am certain these companies prefer not to make an issue of this.
shoplifting laws require a business to wait until someone has exited the store with stolen goods to be able to detain them. that is why arrests happen once a thief has exited the doors. at that point, a business knows without a doubt that the person has stolen an item. if you are stopped by a receipt checker before exiting the building they cannot detain you, they can point out that you haven't paid for something... but you still have to give them permission to check your items.
posted on December 2, 2010 09:37:49 AM new
i pulled up this story, and anywhere that people can comment on the story, there is more debate over the searching than on the injured woman.
i think the biggest tragedy in all of this is that a 100 year old woman has to work at walmart to make ends meet. it is shameful.
posted on December 2, 2010 09:57:00 AM new
Home Depot is known to hire retirees who used to work in hardware stores or even own a hardware store wiped out by Home Depot,or in certain trades such as carpentry,plumbing,electrician as these retirees bring a wealth of knowledge to share with younger workers and customers,sometimes they will teach classes in the store,they are more mature and reliable and patient with customers.
An ex neighbor of mine retired early,too early to collect SS,so he worked at Home depot in plumbing dept,then he was moved to work on second shift where most contractor orders were filled ,later he was promoted into sales,his job was to stand at the entrance and watch people walking in and estimate how much they would spend in store,there are different categories,like 35 dollars and under,50 -100,$100 and up.
Then he was promoted to venture outside the store to SPY ON LOWE!!!!!!!!
That was the time Lowe switched from serving wholesalers into full scale retail serving the consumers,he went and pull their shelves,whatever was in shortage at Home Depot,Lowe is well stocked,their aisles are well lit,well stocked and consumer friendly !
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on December 4, 2010 03:40:47 PM new
Yes, it's sad that a 100 year old woman has to work. But what's she supposed to do? Maybe she doesn't want to live on the dole, in which case I say, Good for her!
It's quite likely that the engagement with other people is what keeps her going.
As far as exit searches go, no, you don't have to stop. And I never do at Fry's Electronics. I avoid eye contact and keep walking.
You *do* have to stop at Costco because it's a condition of your membership. And they do do somewhat of a check: If you bought stamps and they don't see them in your cart, they'll ask.
But the main reason for the Costco exit search is to mark your receipt so you can't reuse it.
posted on December 4, 2010 04:44:51 PM new
Then Home depot and Lowe should do the same,mark the receipt,not just date/time stamped it.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
