Olyarms' thread about receipt checking reminded me about this...

It seems completely absurd to me the lengths people will go to when their product sets off the alarm.  They sheepishly walk back to the cashier, who JUST rang them up, and they wave the stuff over the little demagnetizer/deactivater/whatever thing, and they try again.  And if the alarm goes off again, they come back and try again!!! I've seen people go back and forth four or five times just to make the little buzzer happy.

Personally, I keep on walking if it goes off.  Not once has anybody come after me either.

I make eye contact with the cashier. They ALWAYS wave me on.

I ain't stealing and I refuse to be intimidated by a fool machine.

I keep trucking and am pissed if someone wants to go threough my shit -- and I let them know it.

No. I just keep walking.  If the fuckers want to chase me down, then more power to them.  

None of the above.  I stop... look around, and if someone is there to wave me on, I go.  Never had a problem.

What do you do, duck your head down and sprint for the car?  

I usually run like hell just to see what happens.

You attention whore, come up with something orig. Lol just fucking with yah

I might stop if asked but if not just keep walking. Its just a noise to me nothing else since I sure as hell didn't steal anything

I'll stop, turn around, and send bolts of lightning from my eyes to the cashier or whoever else shows up.

I hate those damned things.

Had that happen at Wallyworld just this past Sunday.  The door nazi already had one poor couple pulled to the side, going through their bags and I just kept on walking.  The people that were pulled to the side looked at me like "aren't you going to stop for inspection and to present your papers?"

No, and I don't pay attention to car alarms either anymore.

Some guys said when they were kids they threw those anti theft tags on the ground so people would step on them have them stick to shoes  and set those alarms off as people left the store -- kind of funny in a way...........

Quoted: Some guys said when they were kids they threw those anti theft tags on the ground so people would step on them have them stick to shoes  and set those alarms off as people left the store -- kind of funny in a way...........

I used to peel them off the packages while I was in the stores and stick them to the carts.

What alarm?


SGtar15

I bought a new leather wallet last year at a dept store, then when I was walking out of Barnes & Noble
the alarm went off, then a employee came and I showed him my wallet and we figured out that there was a anti shoplifting tag still inside my wallet that made the alarm go off?

I have been using it for a week and this was the first time it made the alarm go off while leaving a store. now when I buy something new I always inspect it for hidden ant-shoplifting tags, in the pockets, inside books, etc.

... I like fucking with them by bolting

I pretend that I didn't hear it, and keep walking.  Sometimes the door guardian will chase after me, but not often.  By the way, this issue has pretty much stopped my wife from buying DVDs at Wal-Mart... she hates having that stupid alarm go off (because the cashier didn't properly deactivate the tag) when she walks out.

That reminds me... several years ago, when I got my first DVD player (actually, a laptop equipped with a DVD drive), I bought 4 or 5 DVDs from Wal-Mart.  The alarm went off as I walked out, and the lady cuffed me and forced me back into the store at gunpoint (well, not really).  She took my bags and checked through my purchases (which included other things besides the DVDs), taking an annoyingly long time.

When I got back home, I looked at my receipt and discovered I had not been charged for one of the movies, and that moron (despite all that careful checking) didn't even notice.

--Mike

I keep on walking.  If the retard at the door wants to stop me, they are welcome to try.

My wife always pushes the cart out at Walmart. The alarm went off on two seperate occassions and I refused to reenter the store when they stopped me. The first time the door woman had to come out into the parking lot to check the receipt. The second time they call the manager and tried to gang up on me. I told them they had to call the police to deal with me. I still go there, just that wifey won't let me push the cart.

I look shifty then run like hell.

Quoted: None of the above.  I stop... look around, and if someone is there to wave me on, I go.  Never had a problem.

same. some of the internet commandos here though are funny!

I always go back to humor the little retired old man or woman that manning(womaning?) the check point. I've got remember not to breathe too hard, or I might knock him or her over.

Quoted: No, and I don't pay attention to car alarms either anymore.

+1

Quoted: Had that happen at Wallyworld just this past Sunday.  The door nazi already had one poor couple pulled to the side, going through their bags and I just kept on walking.  The people that were pulled to the side looked at me like "aren't you going to stop for inspection and to present your papers?"

HAHA, that's great, I can just imagine some 75 year old German guy with a walmart vest going "your papers please".

Also... I was one of those kids that would place the magnetic strips on the ground sticky side up so people would walk on them

But it was fun

I remember one day it had happened five times in the 30 minutes it took us to check out at Walley World, what did everyone do? Held the bags over the top of the scanners and just kept going so it wouldn't go off.

I just keep right on going. I'm always CCW, and in MA, showing a CCW gun to somebody who is not a policeman (mall ninjas do NOT count) when out in public is a big no-no. If the security droids stop me, and want to search me, I tell them, no way, the search has to be done by a police officer, and then I answer no more questions until the popo arrive.

Twice this has happened. They relented upon figuring that it would all be too much hassle, and this guy apparently knows his rights anyway, unlike the rest of the Great Unwashed. I got waved on when I showed them the receipt or said I hadn't bought anything.

Such is life.

Quoted: One of these days you flaming fucking morons are going to get jacked up by the cops as shop lifting suspects and then come here and start a 10 page thread about how the JBTs were oppressing your stupid asses.

No I won't Lump.  And do you want to know why?

Because IF a cop was there I would treat him with the resect he deserves.  I would also assume that once he heard my story he would clearly see that I am not the one causing the problem.  A cop can detain me.  A story "door checker" can not unless they have VISUAL proof of me shop lifting.

Sgtar15

I load my pockets up with stuff i want to steel. Razor blades are the big ones. I then buy a DVD and go out the alarm goes off everytime. I just keep walking and dont stop. One time the cashier just says go on.

Quoted: I load my pockets up with stuff i want to steel. Razor blades are the big ones. I then buy a DVD and go out the alarm goes off everytime. I just keep walking and dont stop. One time the cashier just says go on.

Don't cut yourself going for the wallet.

I don't steal, so any alarms can't be for me.  I keep on walking, totally ignore it.  I would resist any attempt to interfere with my movements (an assault upon my person) with MY stuff that I just paid for with whatever force needed.

Worst possible outcome:

A Free Man's lawyer:  "And did you or anyone at Wallyworld witness A Free Man shoplifting?"

Wallyworld employee: "No"

A Free Man's lawyer:  "Then why did you assault my client?"

Wallyworld employee:  "We tried to stop him because we thought he shoplifted because the alarm went off.  But we could not find that he had stolen anything."

A Free Man's lawyer:  "He didn't steal anything?"

Wallyworld employee:  "No"

Wallyworld pay A Free Man an undisclosed sum to settle case out of court.

Happens all the time at WallyWorld ... I've gotten into the habit of timing my exit so that I'm leaving at the same time as other customers. If the alarm goes off everyone around the door usually freezes trying to figure out who set what off, most of the time one of the other sheep will turn around and look for an almighty WallyWorld associate to check their things.

A Free Man could get in big trouble with that kind of attitude in some places.  In some states that could be enough to detain .

excerpts from CA Penal Code Sec 490

(f) (1) A merchant may detain a person for a reasonable time for
the purpose of conducting an investigation in a reasonable manner
whenever the merchant has probable cause to believe the person to be
detained is attempting to unlawfully take or has unlawfully taken
merchandise from the merchant's premises.

(2) In making the detention a merchant, theater owner, or a person
employed by a library facility may use a reasonable amount of
nondeadly force necessary to protect himself or herself and to
prevent escape of the person detained or the loss of tangible or
intangible property.

(7) In any civil action brought by any person resulting from a
detention or arrest by a merchant, it shall be a defense to such
action that the merchant detaining or arresting such person had
probable cause to believe that the person had stolen or attempted to
steal merchandise and that the merchant acted reasonably under all
the circumstances.

Now consider the scenario in Court

"I heard the alarm go off and I saw  Mr. FM leaving the store.  I followed him and asked if I could see his bag, or if he would return to deactivate the tag."

"what happened?"

"He ignored me, and kept walking."

"What did you do then?"

"I again asked him if I could see his bag.  He told me to "F Off" and walked around me."

"I then told him to stop and he didn't.  I told him, that I was detaining him under Penal Code Section 490.5 for investigation and he swung at me and I then used reasonable force to protect myself."

"Why did you decide to detain him?"

"We have been having a series of shoplifting incidents at our stores in the area and he resembled the description of one of the person seen on the security video I saw yesterday, he also was close to the description of the bulleting sent out by the XXX PD on some shoplifters and he was being unreasonable, I've never had anyone act that way that wasn't later found to be a shoplifter.  Most people show me the receipt and a quick glance and are on there way in just a moment, but he fit the descriptions from Corporate Loss Prevention and the PD Warning and his behaviour fit the profile of previous incidents so even though I hadn't seen him hide anything, his behaviour was so unreasonable that I felt I had sufficient probable cause to detain."

Who do you think is going to fit the reasonable behaviour standard???  You really think that you would win in that case?  Or get a lawyer that will take the case without a retainer upfront?  What do reasonable people do in that circumstance?

Case and common law is almost always that you need to see the theft for PC but you can  potentially  screw yourself by your behaviour, furtive movements or flight  when an innocent reasonable person would stop?

wanna really make em squirm at walley world?  I go out the enterance and when the alarm goes off they start pulling people back in from the exit while i walk on home.  Its hillarious

I keep on walking.

FUCK IT...KEEP WALKING...

I usually stop to make sure the cashier didn't leave any damn anti-theft tags on my stuff. (usually only happens with clothes)

Half of the time the employees don't even look up so I keep on walking.

I walk away to.

I start running or walking fast because it ant me

I payed for it, so I want my free entertainment when they chase me down

LOL wonder if this one will make 7 pages too.

One store I shop at has a detector that almost always goes off when I go through it. And I always go back to the cashier.

But that's mostly because she's really, really hot.

Obviously they do not care enough to check if their "disabling" at the register works, so they rely on the door alarm.  But they are so hesitant to offend at the door that a pleasant chime sounds and a calm recorded voice starts a slowly spoken announcement to return.  I was already 20 feet past the door when the end of their request was done.  It is not even a half hearted attempt to stop a theft, it is some attempt to reduce some number reported to some manager in some office...somewhere.  Some bean-counter who never was taught "The Boy Who Cries Wolf" pops a chubby over this "plan" and is probably still enjoying the bonus for this "plan".  That may be the real crime.  What a waste of time for all involved.

I will throw this thread a curve.....what would all you tough guys do in the following situations?

I was in a store during a storm one late afternoon. The power went out for a few moments (store went fairly dark except for some emergency exit lights) and then some kind of limited back up power kicked in.

I was near the door at the time and they secured the doors so nobody could leave. 3 people per exit blocking your way, plus the automatic doors set to manual.

Nobody was allowed to leave the store at first. About 10 minutes went by and people were starting to FINALLY get pissed. Then they slowly started letting people out after all bags (and purses) were given a quick glance into with flashlights. Receipts also had to be checked.

Here is story #2: I just happened to be in the same Wally World on another visit. All of a sudden a faint voice announces over the loud speakers that "ALL STORE PERSONELL IMMEADIATELY REPORT TO .....bla bla bla (I could not understand the Hispanic accent) STATIONS. I knew something was up and had a weird feeling so I calmly started to walk to the nearest exit.

About that time another announcement asked "ALL WALLMART CUSTOMERS, PLEASE EXIT THE STORE IMMEADIATELY, GO TO THE NEARESET EXIT TO LEAVE THE STORE." (I think this was pretty close to the wording they used)

I am about 20 yards from the door and I discover that they are guarded by 3 or 4 people (and I can see dozens and dozens of employees out in the far corner of the parking lot milling around)

By now I figure something potentially bad is up and speed up the pace to the door just a bit, and then I am frigging stopped dead in my tracks by a LINE!!!

The back up was being caused by the "guards" taking bags of merchandise and putting them in shopping carts and stacking larger boxes (cd players, x-boxes...etc.) THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LET CUSTOMERS LEAVE WITH MERCHANDISE THEY HAD PAID FOR!!!!! They were telling people to hold on to their receipts (after they marked them with some kind of pen) and return for the merchandise after the mysterious "event" was over.

Guess what the mysterious event was.....a BOMB threat. Holding people up from a timely exit from the premises during a bomb threat.....I say screw loss prevention at that time - get the customers OUT!!!! Their management must have been more concerned about a "shrinkage bonus" than customer safety

Quoted: ... I like fucking with them by bolting

I usually turn around and yell "watch out - I'm getting away !" really loudly before I run.

If I've purchased clothing, then I'll stop - most often the cashier has missed one of those Sensormatic tags, and I'd rather have the problem taken care of at that time, then to have to drive back to the store to get the tag taken off.

I just keep on walking...haven't had anyone come up to me yet...

Quoted: One of these days you flaming fucking morons are going to get jacked up by the cops as shop lifting suspects and then come here and start a 10 page thread about how the JBTs were oppressing your stupid asses.

Yep.  

Seriously, are retail stores just supposed to do NOTHING to prevent shoplifting?  

Theft artificially increases prices.  

I encourage stores to take active measure to prevent theft.  

It's not bother to me to hand my receipt to a checker or stop and wait a second to be waived on after the alarm mis-fires.  

Bunch of hardons.  

Quoted: Quoted: One of these days you flaming fucking morons are going to get jacked up by the cops as shop lifting suspects and then come here and start a 10 page thread about how the JBTs were oppressing your stupid asses. Yep.   Seriously, are retail stores just supposed to do NOTHING to prevent shoplifting?   Theft artificially increases prices.   I encourage stores to take active measure to prevent theft.   It's not bother to me to hand my receipt to a checker or stop and wait a second to be waived on after the alarm mis-fires.   Bunch of hardons.

i would agree. My bro-in-law own the Phoenix Bakery in downtown Chinatown in L.A. Calif, and USED to have a display of little cake decorations they put on their cakes, just cheap shit that is made in the PRC, people would steal those little things, and after awhile he would have no more.

None of your options fit. It depends on the store. One or two stores ( lets call them store number one ) in the mall are notorious for not disabling their stuff when they sell it to you, so other stores in the mall will not stop you if they see you carrying a bag from store number 1. Otherwise, yes, I stop.

I've had it happen at least 5 or 6 times and only once did I keep going. I remember one time that they had a long list of times it screwed up and I was just added to it. I hate everyone else walking by and thinking that you got "caught". They never say sorry either.