Walmart Employee Sees Mom Grab $1,824 Worth of Items, But Pays Only $3.70 at Checkout
Shoplifting is one of those forbidden acts happening every day. Yet, people steal from stores for many different reasons.
Thieves typically commit their crime based on greed and deception. Some of the most cunning shoplifters have made stealing such a bad habit that they’re better described as “serial stealers.”
Other times, people take what isn’t theirs as a result of unforeseen circumstances. For some, shoplifting fulfills a basic need related to clothes, toiletries, or food loss.
Although the crime is very taboo in nature, it’s safe to say that there are a lot of thieves that use creative tactics to get what they want or need. Take 25-year-old, Cheyenne Amber West, for instance.
The 25-year-old wife and mom from Fort Pierce, Florida walked into a Walmart Monday, Nov. 6 with the wrong intentions. With her mom at her side, West picked up a few items from the electronics section of the store.
Some of the costly merchandise included game controllers, video games, and a laptop. A loss prevention employee watched as the mom grabbed $1,824 worth of items, but it’s what she did next that was criminally smart.
West replaced all the original barcodes with discounted tags from the clearance section and then made her way over to a self-checkout register. The loss prevention officer finally made his move after realizing the two ladies paid only $3.70 for the “marked down” items.
Soon after, West was placed on a $3000 bond and “charged with felony grand theft and felony shoplifting.” As for her mom, she currently doesn’t face any charges.
According to the arrest affidavit, West explained in a statement, “I am just trying to get gifts for my son that I cannot afford. The computer is for my husband. Since he just got me a Coach purse, I figured he deserved something nice, as well.”
Apparently, this mom was going to use her stolen goods as gifts, but in another story about shoplifting, one 18-year-old teen planned to use his unpaid items for a life-altering opportunity. Canadian constable Niran Jeyanesan said that the young guy was caught stealing a dress shirt, tie, and socks.
Dress clothing meant that he could show up to an interview with a promising chance to make that change. “This young person has been facing his own difficulties in life and he was looking to straighten out all that by providing for his family and trying to get a job,” Jeyanesan said.
Jeyanesan had a decision to make. Would he charge the teen with theft?
This cop saw the young man as a teen without resources. So he was going to use his own resources to purchase the clothing the teen tried to steal.
He decided not to arrest the teen, either. Division Staff Sgt. Paul Bois was pleased with Jeyanesan’s discretion.
“I think the officer did a fantastic job,” said Bois. “He exercised his discretion, definitely showed some humanity in dealing with this particular individual.”
Depending on the situation, shoplifters aren’t always reprimanded for their crime, though this is not the case for many. Either way, stealing is morally wrong and no one should use it as an excuse to get what they want or need.
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