Thursday night just was not my night to decide to go to Walmart and get our household stuff. I had to take Matthew with me because I went after work. I usually go early Saturday morning but Kevin and I both had family coming from out of state so I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to go. And we were out of so much stuff.
Well, I only got through half of what was on my list because our cart was full. Okay, fine then. I would come back the next available time that I had. Matty wasn’t real impressed with that idea. I mean, come on, we passed up the waffle aisle! But he dealt with it.
Check out went smoothly, or so I thought. It was leaving that was not so smooth because of check out. I had bought two bags of dog food and a bag of cat food. I had them laying on the bottom of the cart. I had peeled off the sticker with the bar code from the dog food and told her to run it twice. Well, she didn’t. Because I had stuff on that bottom shelf the Walmart greeter checked my receipt. She saw that there was only one bag of dog food…and she told me she had to call security. Impressed, I was not!!
Matty is already upset that we were stopped by now we had been pulled aside. So he was pacing around the cart.
I was fighting with this old hag about the dog food. She asked me what checkout I had used. I’m not sure why she asked because after I told her she just said that she would just have to call security. She was treating me like I was trying to steal the dog food. I told her that I had no problem taking the food off of my cart.
Matty was now pacing, humming, and biting his hand.
She was like, “Well, I guess that would be ok. But you need to put it away yourself.”
Of course, my response, “Are you serious?!” At this point I wanted her to call security. But Matthew has stopped pacing.
She told me then that she was not allowed to leave her post but there was a cart sitting by a cashier that I could put the dog food.
I did it as fast as I could because by then there was a very unpleasant scent in 
the air. He had gotten so upset he had an accident.
The second we were out of Walmart, Matty started in with, “What the heck!? She stole dog food, Mom! What the heck!”
I got him home, showered and changed. By then he was pretty well over it. But never in my life has anyone or anything upset Matty so much he had an accident in public. Never. I’m not happy at all. And of course, I didn’t get the greeters name. But next time, if there is a next time, I will have a name, a manager, and security.
I’m so sorry. I avoid the place like the plague. (((HUGS)))
That’s so awful. I’m sorry that happened. I too am a longterm WM avoider. Years ago, a large group of us were leaving together and the alarm went off. Out of at least 10-12 people, they physically stopped my then 12-yos, yelled at him and told him to empty his pockets. Profiling at its finest. “Well, ma’am, usually it’s kids who steal.” Really?? He had nothing in his pockets, and the giftcard they bribed us with as an apology, only after I called corporate, was worth only half what they promised. Meanwhile, the person who set off the bell got away. They are awful.
If I had the money I would avoid it too but sadly it is the cheapest in town and we need cheap around here
Oh, what an awful experience!
Next time, you could avoid the entire fiasco by simply saying no when the greeter asks to see your receipt. When you buy something, it becomes an article of your personal property just like the contents of your pockets or purse. Store employees can’t search that property without your permission. If you refuse, they can’t forcibly search you or physically prevent you from leaving the store; that would meet the legal definition of false imprisonment.
Stores can detain suspected shoplifters, but they have to have probable cause to believe you’ve stolen before they block the exits. PC requires evidence of theft, and these stops are primarily made by security/loss prevention employees. Greeters who didn’t see you shop and didn’t watch you check out cannot have legal cause to stop you because they didn’t see you steal. More on the law: http://www.crimedoctor.com/loss_prevention_3.htm
My advice is to no longer tolerate being treated like a criminal. Stride quickly and confidently past the receipt checker. If he or she asks you to stop, wave them off with a “No, thank you” as you continue out the door. Don’t freeze like a scolded child if someone bellows for you to stop. You’re no thief, and you require no inspection.