My question involves criminal law for the state of: Louisiana, August 24, 2009, Hammond, Walmart.
I went in Walmart to do some grocery shopping tonight... We do most all our shopping there for years, but since they have just finished "remodeling" in the last 3 months, they are often out of everyday items we use, meaning we have to make 2 trips or so a week to get all we need... as they had cut way back on the quanity of products they carry.
My vehicle has been in the shop... usually my husband and I shop together. I rarely have time to "Look"...and browse... so I decided tonight to look and browse all I wanted... taking my time, looking for clothes, at plants, etc.
I stayed about 2 hours looking/browsing all departments. Then I gathered my groceries (took another 35 minutes or more). I paid for my groceries and started out the doors... The alarms did not beep, or anything. But right when I was almost through the doors, the security guard stopped me and said I needed to go to the back with him, and another guy that had followed me around most of the night...
I asked them why... and the other guy said You have some of my items in your purse, and we are going to take you to search your purse. I said "No sir, I do not...and the door alarms did not ring, so why do you think I have items in my purse?" He was rude and so was the cop and the cops said either I go to the back with them or he would arrest me for harassing him and refusing arrest. I was angry, hurt, upset, amazed at this rudeness and threats. I felt totally humiliated. I refused. The other security guy said "You shoplifted and have my items in your purse you have to let us search your purse or we are going to arrest you anyway."
Long story made short, they "made" me go to the back with them, by threating me. The search my purse, and because he found a small flashlight, a small can of "Off" insect replelent and an un opened lip pencil liner and unopened lipstick, they said I "stole" the items, shoplifted them... I told him I had had the flashlight a while, and the small can of off, was bought a few weeks ago. As for the unopened lipstick pencil and lipstick, yes they had come from walmart, but that was a few months back also and I tossed them into my purse before I left home, because my old ones were running low, and I was in a hurry and just didn't "open" them by removing the plastic rapping. (they were not in any kind of box, etc)
The cop tried to intimadate me into confessing... so did the security guy... I was sobbing, and hurt, intimidated, and shaking.... I called both my sisters up there, my husband at his job and told him what they were saying, and my brother in law that's a state trooper... married to one sister... plus I have a brother in law working for walmart that stocks at night... They said no one could see me then they let my sister come in when they found out her husband was a cop also.
So they arrested me, for "shoplifting" my own items previouisly bought at Walmart, and refused to even let me "pay" for them as second time.... I told them I did not shoplift, but I would even pay for my own items again if they would drop all this nonsense. The security guy said it had "gone too far"... I would not admit to stealing the things, and he had to arrest me now... or Walmart would be "liable"... He said he had me on video camera putting things into my pocket and taking things out.... I told him yes... two cell phones, keys, gum. I had called my husband several times, I had put my keys in my buggy on top of 2 clothing items, I was thinking of buying...
I saw much of the video tape... it does not "clearly" show me "stealing" anything... just looking... looking in my purse, and taking my phone in and out of my pocket or purse.
Is any of this even legal? For a customer to be totally harassed and treated this way? I have shopped at walmart since it opened in hammond, 18 or so years ago...
HOW can they harass and intimidate people this way. He had neave to add (the walmart security guy) that had I admitted stealing the items, he would have let me paid for them and I could have been on my way...
I have animals, I actually had THREE small flashlights in my purse, I was planning on going to feed / hay my horse after I left walmart and check my rabbits.... we raise rabbits...and the animals are on our property 3 miles from were we live, they are near one of sister's house.
The walmart security guy said they found a "an empty pack" for one of the same type of flashlights I had had in my purse....so I must have stole the one I had...
He demaned to know why I had such unusual items in my purse if I hadn't stolen them....I told him as I stated above why... I have animals.... I was going to the field to check my horse.... hence the flashlights... mesqitoes are bad here, it's summer, hence the small can of off...
He even said one of my cell phones was "His merchandise" and I'd taken it.... I told him "NO SIR that phone has been registered in my name nearly two years." He changed his mind then....(we have an account with sprint, but I keep a small prepaid flip phone through AT&T as our phones drop calls alot in our area so I keep the second for emergencies)
Also, the walmart guy said "well you picked up several more items you were going to steal also, then you ditched them... " I was totally amazed at his saying this... I was utterly shocked !! I said "WHAT??" He said you picked up a BIG pair of wire cutters to open things with... and you were going to steal them also... but you ditched them...
I said "My husband is a mechanic, and I didn't ditch the wirecutters, I simply changed my mine about getting them, like I did the two clothing items I had...which I hung back on the racks..."
Since when does walking around a store 2 hours, looking at merchandise, touching merchadise... or changing your mind and putting something back, getting your cell phone in and out of your pockets / purse.... etc... consitute shoplifting...??? Since when can a walmart store employee in security, make a decision that a customer (and one that spends alot of money at walmart) has stolen items just because they had walmart items with them?
The purse I was carrying also came from Walmart, the bracelet I was wearing was a Christmas gift as was the purse, the pants and blouse I had on also came from Wamart, as did the Dr. Shcolls sandals I was wearing. The comestic bag in my purse came from Walmart... was a Christmas gift also !! EVEN the under garments I had on came from Walmart. BUT because he found items that had come from Walmart in my purse then I must have shoplifted... although I saw nothing on the video that proved I'd stolen ANYTHING...
HOW can this be allowed to happen?????
Angry In Louisiana

