Some Leeway for the Small Shoplifter

The New York Times ^ | 7/13/2006 | Michael Barbaro

[Ace of Spades]

The anti-American terrorist supporters at the New York Times will do anything to bring down a business that does not conform to their anti-American beliefs.

I must have missed something. Did the NYT make up the policy, or did Wal-Mart?

[xzins]

Likewise, we should find ways to COST the NYT some money.

Every mailing they make to someone costs them postage. Everytime they have to respond to an email or a letter it costs them the time of the respondent.

Etc.

[sportutegrl]

Under the new policy, a shoplifter caught trying to swipe, say, a DVD of the movie “Basic Instinct 2” ($16.87) would receive a warning,

I guess they figure that someone trying to steal a copy of Basic Instinct 2 has enough problems.

[P-Marlowe]

Likewise, we should find ways to COST the NYT some money. Every mailing they make to someone costs them postage. Everytime they have to respond to an email or a letter it costs them the time of the respondent.

Maybe we should all write them and ask them for a copy of their prospectus. Those suckers cost about $3.00 to prepare and mail. When it arrives you can use it for birdcage liner.

[Dixie Yooper]

I don't know what the policy is at my local Wal-Mart for shoplifters, but this is what we do to purse snatchers.

CLAYTON, N.C. -- Shoppers in a Clayton Wal-Mart used their carts to help apprehend a suspected purse-snatcher, authorities said. A man grabbed a woman's pocketbook while she was shopping in the children's clothing section of the Wal-Mart on Sunday afternoon, authorities said. As the man tried to flee, about 30 customers rammed him with their shopping carts in an effort to stop him, authorities said.
The man was tackled by a former State Bureau of Investigation agent near the store entrance and was arrested, authorities said.

[xrp]

Oh, they're only *not* prosecuting minors and seniors? Hmm, sounds like modern day everything -- only punish the over 18 under 60-somethings.

That's ok, I'll just sue for age discrimination.

[Ptaz]

about 30 customers rammed him with their shopping carts in an effort to stop him, authorities said.

Good for them. It's about time citizens started doing things like that. If more of that happened, no store would have to worry about thieves for the most part.

[dirtboy]

I must have missed something. Did the NYT make up the policy, or did Wal-Mart?

Here is the entire problem with this story:

According to internal documents

This is probably not something Wal-Mart wanted publicized. But the friggin' NY Times decided it was newsworthy anyway. There is no malfeasance on the part of Wal-Mart here. No wrongdoing - instead, they are trying to meet the concerns of local law enforcement. So there is absolutely no journalistic justification for revealing confidential corporate information here, just as there was no journalistic justification for the Slimes to reveal the SWIFT monitoring.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Gary Coleman is going to go crazy with this...

[robertpaulsen]

Just think of this as $25. off your first purchase.

[definitelynotaliberal]

I've posted pictures, articles from them a couple of times. I was shortsighted and didn't think how they got paid.

I'm tempted to ask for a prospectus, but I don't have a bird and what a waste of trees.

You're right, though. No more NYT postings from here. Thanks for making us think about it.

[mewzilla]

Pardon one offense, and you encourage the commission of many.

Publilius Syrus

[brytlea]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything, your story just reminded me of my own experience. Gosh, shopping with little kids was a nightmare! I had 3 who were close in age, I can remember having one in a baby carrier in the basket, one sitting in the basket and one sitting under the basket, trying to keep an eagle eye on them all! It's amazing I am still sane!
One of them once picked up a jar of mayonaise from the shelf as we passed by and dropped it on the floor (makes a HUGE mess btw!) I went and told the store manager so they could clean it up and told them at the checkout what had happened. I tried to pay for it but they refused to put it on my bill.
susie

[laotzu]

They should be giving stuff away free...

Brilliant.

Welfare checks don't usually come this early in the day. What woke you up?

[Mrs.Nooseman]

Odd indeed.

[varyouga]

If their advertisers pay-per-click(like most on-line ads), then you actually cost them bandwidth by looking at the site but not clicking the ads.

[TYVets]

.40 Smith & Wesson is $16 for 100 rounds at my local Wal-Mart. I'm going to go there today and steal about 10 or 12 boxes, 1 box at a time!

A box of Winchester AA 12 gauge shotgun shells runs slightly over $5.00 per box of 25.

I could cut back a little on my Trap and Skeet shooting and only use 100 shells per day since the ammo is now free at Walmart.

I love the Internet !

[Izzy Dunne]

Did the NYT make up the policy, or did Wal-Mart?

Did the NYT make the SWIFT-monitoring program, or did the government?

It's not who makes the policy, it's WHO TRUMPETS IT FOR THE BAD GUYS TO SEE!

[P-Marlowe]

If their advertisers pay-per-click(like most on-line ads), then you actually cost them bandwidth by looking at the site but not clicking the ads.

I'm pretty certain that for professional news services they pay per page view. But even if they pay per click if we are constantly viewing the NYT pages, they can charge higher rates per click based on traffic volume. And bandwidth is so cheap it is irrelevant. So the more times freepers view their pages, the more money they will make.

So before you click on the "read more at" link, think about whether or not the article is important enough to justify giving them your business.

[ShadowDancer]

Christ, you're an idiot.