[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

My wife was approached by a man in the Publix parking lot on LaGrande Plaza near Spanish Springs. She said the man was very dirty and looked as though he was on drugs. He seemed threatening to her. When she refused, he approached an older gentleman who through a bunch of change at him and ran to his car. When my wife got to her golf cart there was another man looking very dirty and very much like the first man parked in front of her. She took off and stop to call the police. Suddenly they pulled up beside her and demanded to know who she was calling. She said that she was just calling her husband and they took off.

She is now terrified. She was afraid to drive home because she thought that they might follow her so she went into Publix and told the manager. The manager explained that they had no control or responsibility over what goes on in the parking lot. She stayed at Publix for a while and finally drove home.

She is now terrified and concerned that they are going to came and break into our house. She is young and from another country so she was afraid to call the police.

Just be aware of these guys. there have been a few shady characters in this area lately.

[redwitch]

Panhandling is one thing. Being intimidating is another. I can't believe the manager was so cavalier about this. At the very least, he could have offered your wife an escort to her vehicle.

I hope your wife gets over this quickly.

[jblum315]

1. Publix always has someone offer to walk you to your car. Maybe your wife should accept this offer.
2. Don't shop at night.
3. The manger is correct - Publix does not control the parking lot.

[marianne237]

Thank you for letting all of us aware to this. Be cautious out there.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

My wife was approached by a man in the Publix parking lot on LaGrande Plaza near Spanish Springs. She said the man was very dirty and looked as though he was on drugs. He seemed threatening to her. When she refused, he approached an older gentleman who through a bunch of change at him and ran to his car. When my wife got to her golf cart there was another man looking very dirty and very much like the first man parked in front of her. She took off and stop to call the police. Suddenly they pulled up beside her and demanded to know who she was calling. She said that she was just calling her husband and they took off.

She is now terrified. She was afraid to drive home because she thought that they might follow her so she went into Publix and told the manager. The manager explained that they had no control or responsibility over what goes on in the parking lot. She stayed at Publix for a while and finally drove home.

She is now terrified and concerned that they are going to came and break into our house. She is young and from another country so she was afraid to call the police.

Just be aware of these guys. there have been a few shady characters in this area lately.

Thanks for the heads up. I have never liked being the target of aggressive panhandlers either.

[kittygilchrist]

Intimidation is about attitude.
Look at people in public office who Earn disrespect pussyfooting, watch Walking Tall, and say, who would try to intimidate John Wayne??

I am the hero of this fun story..just warnin ya..
Italy, with girlfriends, pushy guy selling roses keeps on and keeps on at my friends putting the rose in their face, touching their arms. It's a bit isolated in the area. He is violating their space. I worked in prisons...so..

I step toward him, and yell, BACK OFF!

One friend heard him mutter as he moved off, in his best mafioso movie english,
"You gonna be buried under da cement..."

[CFrance]

I seem to remember the manager of this Publix acted in a very cavalier manner when someone alerted him to some people shoplifting. It sounds like he needs some people-skill training.

I agree that your wife should accept Publix's offer to take her groceries out to the car. But perhaps she only had one bag, and an offer wouldn't have been extended. Is there anywhere else up there she could shop, where she might feel safer?

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I seem to remember the manager of this Publix acted in a very cavalier manner when someone alerted him to some people shoplifting. It sounds like he needs some people-skill training.

I agree that your wife should accept Publix's offer to take her groceries out to the car. But perhaps she only had one bag, and an offer wouldn't have been extended. Is there anywhere else up there she could shop, where she might feel safer?

I am standing up for publix. Boogie should call the home office. I know a store where pubs paid for FHP to stand on duty.
The mgr should be aware, and is not, of publix commitment to make a safe environment, whatever it takes.
They will never refuse help, if they know publix integrity as i know it from 35 years shopping.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I seem to remember the manager of this Publix acted in a very cavalier manner when someone alerted him to some people shoplifting. It sounds like he needs some people-skill training.

I agree that your wife should accept Publix's offer to take her groceries out to the car. But perhaps she only had one bag, and an offer wouldn't have been extended. Is there anywhere else up there she could shop, where she might feel safer?

I have never encountered aggressive panhandlers around Southern Trace nor in Sumter Landing. These have always been around 441/27 especially up by the Super Walmart.

You do get the various groups requesting money for various causes at certain times of the year at Southern Trace and Sumter Landing but I have always found these people very polite even when you turn them down for donations.

[Irishmen]

Its a safety issue. In Marion County, the county commission had a ordinance in place for all the corner panhandlers but one sued and actually won 150,000 for violation of 1st amendment rights. They went back and changed the ordinance to focus on safety at intersections and all that and now they're gone. At Walmart, We had one guy approach say he was out of gas, we said no thank you, he goes around the corner gets on his bike. Lol.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

I am standing up for publix. Boogie should call the home office. I know a store where pubs paid for FHP to stand on duty.
The mgr should be aware, and is not, of publix commitment to make a safe environment, whatever it takes.
They will never refuse help, if they know publix integrity as i know it from 35 years shopping.

I wasn't dissing Publix in general; just that particular manager.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I wasn't dissing Publix in general; just that particular manager.

That's right. Me too!

[sunnyatlast]

Did she talk to the police when she got away and started to call? Or did she have to stop calling and get away from these creeps before talking to police?

I agree about contacting Publix about this particular manager. There are probably surveillance cameras covering the doors and parking lot, and they are there for a purpose. Corporate should know that customers are being treated like this.

I would use the car for a trip like that at night, to be able to lock the doors and sound the alarm on the key remote if necessary. Golf carts are unsafe in a number of ways. (However, in that instant the cart could be driven right up onto the sidewalk in front of the store, with horn sounding continuously, to be under the spotlights and drive right up to the automatic door openings to run inside.)

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I seem to remember the manager of this Publix acted in a very cavalier manner when someone alerted him to some people shoplifting. It sounds like he needs some people-skill training.

I agree that your wife should accept Publix's offer to take her groceries out to the car. But perhaps she only had one bag, and an offer wouldn't have been extended. Is there anywhere else up there she could shop, where she might feel safer?

Maybe this is what you are thinking of:

Witnessed a Theft

Same OP

Different store

Different manager with same attitude.... more or less.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by CWGUY

Maybe this is what you are thinking of:

Witnessed a Theft

Same OP

Different store

Different manager with same attitude.... more or less.

Yes, that's the one I was thinking of. Sorry--wrong store.