Falsly Accused of Changing Tags at Wal-Mart, Arrested for Theft by Shoplifting

[Shannonas]

My question involves defamation in the state of: Georgia.

On Friday November 11,2016 I was at Walmart with my sister and brother in law, my 10 year old daughter and my 2 year old grandson that I have temporary custody of. As I browsed through the clearance rack I picked a couple of shirts and a pair of yoga pants. As I walked the store over around 4 times looking for my brother in law to loan me a few dollars for another shirt I wanted I realized I'd chosen the wrong size pants so I went back by clearance rack and changed the size. I had already noticed a older lady following me every where I went. I even spoke to her, I said it's really odd how I bump into you every isle I go down! I noticed other group of men following me with my grandson in the buggy but had no clue why. So my sister was at the Walmart hair Cuttery I went through a self check out and paid for my things. I kept the$2 shirt in my buggy still trying to find my brother in law to borrow a couple of bucks. So I'm standing in the glass watching my sister and my daughter go out to the car to look for my brother in law a man that I had previously seen following me stopped me. He said I had to come to the back and discuss the items i rang up.

I was very confused but I was compliant and went with him. I ask what the problem was but got no answer. Let me mention that i had just had a couple of months prior a double mastectomy and hysterectomy from having cancer. I'm in the middle of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The chemotherapy really made my thinking very foggy. So as he escorts me into the back room, I was approached by 8 different people, interrogating me. Telling me I changed the tags and they knew it. They kept repeating if I didn't tell them than they was going to have me arrested. We went through this a good 30 minutes. Meanwhile my 10 year old daughter is calling me ( which has a very bad case of ocd and anxiety) not to mention it was her birthday is having a panic attack on the phone while I'm trying to calm her down and explain what was happening, the one guy hung the phone up on her and jerked my phone away. I was so confused. They treated me so horrible. I did nothing wrong, but I begged them to have Mercy and let me leave with my daughter and grandson. They deceived me I do believe. A lady sat me at a desk and told me it was probably all a big Mistake. Just to sign some papers and I could go on home with my kids. So I was in such shock I did what ever they ask me to do. I didn't have my glasses on so I couldn't see well. Til this day which has been about 11 days I still don't understand why? Why me? So I signed several papers and no I didn't read them.i couldn't even see what they said. I was promised it was just some type of report and after signing I could go.

As soon as I finished signing they tell me to get my sister back in the room to get my grandson in 3 minutes or they was going to call dfacs to get him because I was being charged with theft by shoplifting. I mean I was in shock, my child traumatized and everyone in my family torn up at the way they took advantage of my sickness and treated me so badly for no apparent reason. After they told me I was going to be arrested the first thing I did was call and leave my probation officer message telling him what they were doing to me. I have 1 month of probation left. This could've been worse. I could've been held on a probation violation but as soon as i arrived at the jail the sergeant was very upset that they had me arrested in the condition I was in and the medical nurse had a fit. So thank God I got a bond and was let out the same day. I was able to come home to my daughter and help her try and enjoy what was left of her birthday.. my husband and I spent our 20th anniversary bonding me out of jail. It still just makes me sick. I went days without food or sleep. All I could do was cry.

Sorry such a long post and believe it or not I left a lot out! I want to know how often this happens and why? How can they claim a person has changed tags/shoplifted and have them arrested, embarrassment of mugshots being in the paper and all the money spent to bond out? How and why does Walmart continue to get away with this? Sorry if I've repeated as I've stated my thinking isn't very clear. One more thing. I remember them talking about the supposed price change was $27 difference but these were clearance clothes, nothing was over $3???

[jk]

First, Cops arrest people. That's what they do. I'm sure the Sargent has seen many distraught people and had no issues with them being arrested. Many people get upset when arrested.

I'm not sure why they charged you with switching tags. You could have been charged with the theft of the shirt you had in your cart, not paid for, after you went through the self checkout. Once you continued to possess that shirt after you checked out your other merchandise the intent to steal became clear. They will get the opportunity to explain their claims as this progresses through court. Maybe they did watch you swap tags as well. Maybe the tag swap was from the shirt you didn't buy to a shirt that wasn't a clearance item. I don't know. You'll have to wait as this progresses through court to understand their claims.

You have no claim against walmart


you do have a lot of excuses though. Recent surgery. Didn't have your glasses but signed documents you couldn't read. Wanted to borrow a couple dollars from
somebody that presumably went out to the car. What were you going to do with that? Just wait inside until he came back in? You did have a phone. Did he? Maybe calling him would have worked?