"Theft" news story

[Sandtrap328]

The online news had an article this morning about a 19 year old boy detained by WalMart security and arrested by Sumter County police.

The boy was drinking a chocolate milk while walking around in the store. The article did not say he tried leaving without paying but rather said he was detained by security. Did the boy have the $1.54 with him to pay for the milk? Was he going to pay for the drink when he was ready to leave? Did he attempt to leave without paying? Too many unanswered questions. And then that the police actually took him into custody, booked him, and a $500 bond. I would think the police officer would have rolled his eyes at the WalMart security and paid the $1.54 himself. There was nothing in the article to say this boy had a criminal past. For all that time and paperwork, the boy will get no punishment from the court - and any junior attorney should be able to get him cleared completely.

How many times have we all seen a mother or grandmother give a child a bag of chips or a candy bar in the store to keep them happy? Are ALL of those paid for? Do those mothers or grandmothers get detained by security and arrested? Of course not!

Then, the comments on the article by readers!! Talking about the boy like he was a career criminal and how they all began working at age 12.

Very poor reporting by the online news, but poor judgement on WalMart and Sumter County police.

[Chatbrat]

A 19 year is not a child, they can vote, join the military on their own and die for our country without any adult consent.

[Sandtrap328]

A 19 year is not a child, they can vote, join the military on their own and die for our country without any adult consent.

I never said "child". I said "boy".

It would not make any difference if he was 19 or 84. Do you believe WalMart would detain an 84 year old man for walking around the store while drinking a milk valued at $1.54? Do you think that Sumter County police would have arrested the 84 year old man for petit theft, booked him, and have him post a $500 bond?

Of course not!

[Taltarzac725]

Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0812/Sections/0812.014.html)

The FL Statute seems to give the Judge a lot of leeway for petit theft.

Florida Petty Theft Charge: FL Penalties and Defense | Criminal Law (http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/crime-penalties/petty-theft-florida-penalties-defense)

Petit Theft- Florida | Definition, Penalties, Defenses (http://www.husseinandwebber.com/crimes/theft-fraud/petit-theft/)

[2BNTV]

I agree it's not the crime of the century but this 19 year old shouldn't be ingesting food, unless he had the money to pay for it and was willing to do so.

It seems this is the up to the discretion of Walmart and the police. It seems to be more to this story, that wasn't reported.

[CFrance]

I never said "child". I said "boy".

It would not make any difference if he was 19 or 84. Do you believe WalMart would detain an 84 year old man for walking around the store while drinking a milk valued at $1.54? Do you think that Sumter County police would have arrested the 84 year old man for petit theft, booked him, and have him post a $500 bond?

Of course not!
I agree with you. This is overkill unless he tried to leave the store without paying.

[Taltarzac725]

I agree with you. This is overkill unless he tried to leave the store without paying.

It is not clear that he was going to leave the store without paying for the milk.

[Bjeanj]

At what point does WalMart say "enough is enough?" I notice that they frequently have people arrested for shoplifting. This cost is passed on to us. Technically, if something is consumed before paying for it I would think that is illegal. Where do you draw the line? This person is old enough to know better. Let the judge sort it out.

[Topspinmo]

IMO only crime if he threw the bottle away and didn't pay for it. IMO if he's in the store and has the bottle it's still on him to pay for it. He probably tried to throw the bottle in the trash and walk out without paying for it. ME I would have paid first and drank later, and if i was so thirsty I would make sure I had the receipt while drinking it in the store. I imagine Wally World has lots of eat as you shopping without paying for it. Like produce by the pound when you see bunch of empty grapes on the vines?

[manaboutown]

My parents taught me to pay for food and drink in a store before I ate or imbibed.

IMHO what the young man was doing was churlish, if not thievery. There has to be more to this story...

[Sandtrap328]

At what point does WalMart say "enough is enough?" I notice that they frequently have people arrested for shoplifting. This cost is passed on to us. Technically, if something is consumed before paying for it I would think that is illegal. Where do you draw the line? This person is old enough to know better. Let the judge sort it out.

I would say UNLESS the boy attempted to leave the store without paying the $1.54, there is no case of petit theft.

What about the mothers and grandmothers who let their child eat a candy bar and "forget" to pay when checking out? Arrest them, too?

Again, I wonder IF it were an 84 year old man or woman consuming that milk. Would they get arrested?

No, do not pass this onto the judges. Let common sense prevail.

[John_W]

How many times have we all seen a mother or grandmother give a child a bag of chips or a candy bar in the store to keep them happy? Are ALL of those paid for? Do those mothers or grandmothers get detained by security and arrested? Of course not!


I must of been raised by zero tolerance parents. It did pay off, I never stole or shoplifted anything in my life from a store.

I'll have to keep an eye out for those grandparents that take food off the shelf and unwrap the package and feed their toddlers. Isn't that what pacifiers are for? If they're too big for that, then maybe someone needs a time out instead of sticking more food in their mouth, unless you want them to weight 160 pounds at age 12. We have a whole website dedicated to them, it's called "People of Walmart". People Of Walmart - Funny Pictures of People Shopping at Walmart : People Of Walmart (http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/)

http://www.givinguponperfect.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/toddler-in-shopping-cart.jpg

[John_W]

I would say UNLESS the boy attempted to leave the store without paying the $1.54, there is no case of petit theft.

So the store's prevention officer should have to keep an eye on this kid while he meanders through the store for two hours while some other guy runs off with a $800 TV. I'm sure they have a whole posse of loss prevention officers just waiting to watch people eat their product. Sounds reasonable to me, or maybe we should just let them eat anything they want and use the honor system as you say. It's a wonder they can even see all this stuff when you have to watch several self-checkout registers, the thief back in electronics and then the kid with the candy bar. Maybe we should just baby-sit everyone and wait until they leave the store and then have to run them down in the parking lot and hope they don't pull a gun, a knife or run you over with their car.

[Record10ti]

= Maybe we should just baby-sit everyone and wait until they leave the store and then have to run them down in the parking lot and hope they don't pull a gun, a knife or run you over with their car.


Who in the h e l l said anything about a TV a gun or a knife? This was a chocolate milk!! Maybe I should call the police on people who are using Public Aid - they after all are stealing from me (and you and all of us).

[Nucky]

My reasoning for siding with Walmart is my own history of getting popped for stealing spray paint for a model car when I was about 12 years old. Then a speeding ticket when I had my license for about 3 months. Neither the security man in the store or the officer let me go or put me in jail. Both gave me a penalty that was worse they handed me over to my father. This was before the days of political correctness. The look of disappointment both times and the beating that came with each situation may have kept me from bigger problems. We'll never know. The security guard may have done this person a big favor...we'll never know.

[NYGUY]

I always b...h at my wife when I see her pop a grape or two at Publix. I can assure you, I would never bail her out.:loco:

[Nucky]

I always b...h at my wife when I see her pop a grape or two at Publix. I can assure you, I would never bail her out.:loco:

Your a funny guy! I would be there as soon as I finished golfing. Mrs. Nucky may read this later. :ohdear:

[Taltarzac725]

My reasoning for siding with Walmart is my own history of getting popped for stealing spray paint for a model car when I was about 12 years old. Then a speeding ticket when I had my license for about 3 months. Neither the security man in the store or the officer let me go or put me in jail. Both gave me a penalty that was worse they handed me over to my father. This was before the days of political correctness. The look of disappointment both times and the beating that came with each situation may have kept me from bigger problems. We'll never know. The security guard may have done this person a big favor...we'll never know.

I had the same kind of experience when trying to nab a mallard off of Virginia Lake in Reno, Nevada for breakfast when I was about 14. We only got as far as Richard climbing into the tree where I would hand him a big rock to drop on a duck. I had no idea how we would get the duck out of the lake though. A local homeowner called the cops who must have been near. I believe it was Richard's bright idea but he blamed it on me when the cops had come. They hauled us to a small jail and kept us locked up for a few hours and then called the parents. Or maybe it was call the parents first. Then locked us up. My only arrest over ten. Knock on wood. I had two previous under ten. Running away on my tricycle when my parents brought my late younger brother Chuck home from the hospital at three. I made it almost a mile and stealing some candy from a local store owner. Called cops and parents. Probably around age eight.

We had seen Magnum Force the night before so this must have been 1973. Magnum Force (1973) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070355/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_33) That is the duck for breakfast fiasco.

[Record10ti]

I always b...h at my wife when I see her pop a grape or two at Publix. I can assure you, I would never bail her out.:loco:

That happened to me just tonight. She was eating the grapes...walked out, two of Lady Lakes laziest were in the parking lot (one was off of Rio Grand this morning sleeping in his squad car at about 5am by the pool). Well, I about turned her in for the theft of no less than six grapes...I wonder if they can taze her for that?

[goodtimesintv]

The online news had an article this morning about a 19 year old boy detained by WalMart security and arrested by Sumter County police.

The boy was drinking a chocolate milk while walking around in the store. The article did not say he tried leaving without paying but rather said he was detained by security. Did the boy have the $1.54 with him to pay for the milk? Was he going to pay for the drink when he was ready to leave? Did he attempt to leave without paying? Too many unanswered questions. And then that the police actually took him into custody, booked him, and a $500 bond. I would think the police officer would have rolled his eyes at the WalMart security and paid the $1.54 himself. There was nothing in the article to say this boy had a criminal past. For all that time and paperwork, the boy will get no punishment from the court - and any junior attorney should be able to get him cleared completely.

How many times have we all seen a mother or grandmother give a child a bag of chips or a candy bar in the store to keep them happy? Are ALL of those paid for? Do those mothers or grandmothers get detained by security and arrested? Of course not!

Then, the comments on the article by readers!! Talking about the boy like he was a career criminal and how they all began working at age 12.

Very poor reporting by the online news, but poor judgement on WalMart and Sumter County police.

Consider the source.

This story is all they've got.

It's a sleaze publication.

Sleaze sells.

[graciegirl]

I don't think it is a sleaze publication.

It publishes everything that happens. And it publishes pictures. For years people complained because they didn't name names in The Villages Sun.

There are few among us that wouldn't buy milk for a young man who was truly hungry. But my children would have learned far younger that you don't "take" things from a store. I was on my own at his age. Working. Buying my own milk, with enough impulse control to wait until I had paid for it to drink it.

[Record10ti]

[/COLOR][/B]

Old judgmental codger here who doesn't like to be called old. Are you YOUNG Sir or Madam?



Young at heart ;-)

This site, you know (I presume) is from a company in Arizona....so I was making fun of them :thumbup:

[outlaw]

I doubt Walmart would have called the police if the man, not boy, was just drinking the milk in the store before paying for it. I regularly pick up a soda and drink it while shopping, and pay for it as I check out. I seriously doubt the deputy would have arrested the boy if it was questionable that he did not intend to pay for the drink. You're making an issue based on non-fact based assumptions. Was he observed drinking the milk, then throwing the container in a trash can? Did he try walking out of the store, already past the checkout counters? Did he have any money on him, when questioned by the deputy? Who are you to accuse Walmart of wrongful enforcement of shoplifting when you don't know the facts and it isn't your property being stolen?

[Record10ti]

No story about the guy around the block. As the neighbors said, it wont be "reported" on. They were right. It is however funny to see all the neighbors out in their lawn chairs watching. Sorta like a block party.

The other guy - there were even people calling TV to have him tossed out of TV. I want to say they had a petition even. He was in the "News" time and again, and thus convicted by false comments on other sites about him being "A felon living with his parents"...um, no, not at all the case.

But, back to the kid with the milk. Sooooooo much conjecture. No one knows the reality, that however does not prevent internet hero's from convicting a person with out any knowledge of facts nor intent. As has been stated, it is not theft until he trys to leave with out paying....but, lets all put his name and image out there...

[outlaw]

Who in the h e l l said anything about a TV a gun or a knife? This was a chocolate milk!! Maybe I should call the police on people who are using Public Aid - they after all are stealing from me (and you and all of us).

Oh. I didn't realize it was chocolate milk. I never pay for drinks at the convenience store. I just wave to the clerk as I leave with my drink. After all, I AM thirsty. Who wouldn't give a thirsty person a drink, right?

[Miles42]

I have a hard time with the choice of the word "boy".

[Sandtrap328]

I doubt Walmart would have called the police if the man, not boy, was just drinking the milk in the store before paying for it. I regularly pick up a soda and drink it while shopping, and pay for it as I check out. I seriously doubt the deputy would have arrested the boy if it was questionable that he did not intend to pay for the drink. You're making an issue based on non-fact based assumptions. Was he observed drinking the milk, then throwing the container in a trash can? Did he try walking out of the store, already past the checkout counters? Did he have any money on him, when questioned by the deputy? Who are you to accuse Walmart of wrongful enforcement of shoplifting when you don't know the facts and it isn't your property being stolen?

The online news does a very poor reporting job on most stories - this one included.

The article only said the boy was observed drinking the milk while walking around the store. It did not say he ditched the container or tried walking out of the store or if he had money or a debit card on him that would pay the $1.54.

The facts, as reported, do not add up to shoplifting. If there IS more to the story, as you suggest, it would be good to see it reported in the online paper.

[Retiring]

I do ALL THE TIME at WalMart and Publix. I simply have the cashier ring up the empty package. Never had an issue...I wonder what race the kid was????

Why do you consume food you haven’t paid for? You really can’t wait a few minutes till you pay for the food and it’s yours?

It’s all about me.

[Record10ti]

Why do you consume food you haven’t paid for? You really can’t wait a few minutes till you pay for the food and it’s yours?

It’s all about me.


I do so at restaurants too...OH MY GOD!!!