So the door alarm went off at Wal Mart...

[D_Claude Hopper]

Not ten minutes ago. And that place was packed. I've managed to find a partner as of late, and a rather sexually gratifying one at that. She's fun. I don't know how long it'll go on since our little tryst is pretty much a fling before she graduates from grad school (in a week and a half), but it was time to go buy more condoms.

So I did.

Only to find upon exitting Wal Mart that the little anti theft magnetic strip hadn't been deactivated. I promptly had two cashiers, a security guard, and two store managers all over to inspect my purchase, as well as god know how many spectators passing by. It was really a rather proffessional scene. The manager casually took the box of trojans out of the bag, cross checked the receipt, and rubbed them all over the magnetic thing, stuffed them back in the bag, stapled it and sent me on the way. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW SLOW TIME GOES WHEN THIS CRAP HAPPENS. I never planned on it. But you just can't help but notice the way a big black box of condoms catches everyone's eyes.

I don't think I was embarassed. There WAS a time when I would have been. It was rather nerve racking in its own way though. I really wouldn't be suprised if this exact thing hasn't happened to a few of you. But i thought I'd share it.

It's funny to me now.

 

[shad24]

Just curious, This has happened to me, but after all the hullaballoo and the show was over did ANYONE from the guards to the mgr or salespeople say "I am Sorry"?

 

[D_Claude Hopper]

Actually, now that you mentioned it, they did not. Honestly though, I can see how a person working the pharmacy could inadvertantly forget to de-mag them. I do think it was an honest mistake.

But no. There was no apology.

 

[ToxicNarcotic18]

stuff like that happens all the time at my work, not with condoms though, but when its over and has been resolved, i noticed that the managers never apologize, i was falsly accused of stealing sometjhing one time and the managed demanded that i empty my pockets and i did cause im not one to cause much of a scene and once she saw that i didnt have anything she said ok and walked away, like you i didnt think about the apology or lack there of untill later it kinda pissed me off.

 

[Pecker]

It wasn't condoms with me. I took my mother in for a few weeks after she had a hip replacement and I had to go get her some Depends.

You guessed it. Exit alarm. And I was embarrassed.

 

[Altairion]

One thing you guys are forgetting is that these are managers......at Wal-Marts. I bet they've had a high degree of training and loads of intelligence to work with to know how guests in their stores should be treated...such as apologies for the misfires on their detectors.

 

[shad24]

Reason I asked was it happened to me 3 times so far at the same store.
The last time I refused to open my bag for the CSR or whatever. The security guard puffed out his chest and demanded that I open the bag.
By this time I was embarassed and pissed and told them to call a real cop or I would.
Anyway, the cops show up ask me if I had a receipt. They didnt look in the bag but turned around and gave the store manager 7 differeent kinds of hell for wasting their time.
All the store manager said was that I didnt have to make such a big scene out of it

 

[Honey_Grrrl83]

The same thing happened to me in December,only I was buying toilet paper and tampons:redface:

 

[findfirefox]

This happens to me at my local Fred Meyers all the time, in fact I bought an XM radio today and it set off the alarms, and they just were like "Go go, we don't mind" as if it was so hard to demagnitize it.

But one time this clerk grabbed me with a full shoping cart and tryed to demagtize everything, even a god damn can of soup that was on sale, theres no security device on SOUP or PRODUCE... the alarm went off on my way out anyway... stupid whore...

 

[inkubus963]

Try being a Black man and have that happen...

I'm not without financial resources, all legitimately earned. I try to keep myself decent looking, and tend to appear white-collar conservative, as far as daytime clothing goes. Since I'm a single Gay man, I do not have children, and I'm not allowed to get married, I tend to have more disposable income than a man that's involved. I have a liking for some fine things in life, and I usually just go get what I want.

My graphics card frittered out one day, so I promenaded merrily into Circuit City for a new one. I entered the store, went to the soon-to-be-incorrectly-named Courtesy Counter, and asked where cards were. A store rep took me to that aisle, and stood by answering questions about the differences in quality. I selected a card, and the rep and I walked back to the sales counter, chatting about the new monitors just in. I made my purchase, and was heading out when, of course, the door alarm chimed.

I took it back to the counter, and they scanned it a second time, but the alarm sounded again. Back to the counter: third try, same result. Store Manager and apparent expert on my history, temprament, and psychology comes up and demands that I empty my pockets, even though the rep that had originally been with me was vouching for me. After bristling a bit, I realized I had a chance to make him look a fool, so I emptied my pockets. Went through the detector, alarm sounds. Hmmm.

Red-faced manager now asks if ther is anything I want to tell him before the police arrive. At this point I've even removed my shoes and the door is still alarming when I go through, and of course, half the store patrons are watching, the other half are shaking their heads at 'yet another Black thief, probably needs drug money'. Policeman comes, pats me down, finds nothing unusual, obviously, and is getting out the cuffs to take me away when the original store rep, who was with me, suggested the store manager walk through the thing. He does, and it goes off. The store rep walks through. Alarm. The policeman goes through. Alarm.

As the store manager was huffing off (no apology, no nothing), I thanked the store rep for coming to my aid, and asked him to run a return on the item for me and to refund my money, which he did with no complaints. Every customer that left after me set off the door alarm. No one else was stopped.

 

[Gisella]

It wasn't condoms with me. I took my mother in for a few weeks after she had a hip replacement and I had to go get her some Depends.

You guessed it. Exit alarm. And I was embarrassed.

:biggrin1: Pecker i wish you and Dr.Rock were my nextdoor neighboors...u 2 just make me laugh and are fun to be around!!!


Well, about the alarm thing yes happened to me but was with any item i could be embarrassed for...

 

[dick.hertz85]

It's a WAL-MART! Hell, they were (reportedly) busted for locking their cleaning 'associates' in the store at night to (opinion) keep them from stealing stuff. They know the only reason you're there is because their crap is cheap (I believe.) They don't have to do anything in the name of customer service because they know you'll be back beacuse it's CHEAP (in the author's opinion.)
I hope your condoms aren't quality products of one of Wal-Mart's (opinion follows) prison-labor factories in Lower Slobovia or your current GF may be around longer than you think.

 

[kinkymanca]

Try being a Black man and have that happen...

the other half are shaking their heads at 'yet another Black thief, probably needs drug money'.

now how can that be? if you are black, then you are a drug dealer, right? so you already have drugs.

NOTE: the previous statement was sarcastic. if this was not apparent, you should intall the latest SmartAssSarcasm plugin for windows.

I have had the alarm go off on me many times. alot of the times, there is nobody actually working there at the door. I will look around, and if there is nobody, I say fuck it, and keep on going. I know I have not stolen anything, and feel that I should not have to waste my time going back and dealing with this for A) a mistake by the cashier, or B) some sort of fault wth the security system. if there is somebody there, I will go through the show receipt/goods process, but that is it.

not sure about laws else where, but here in PRK (Peoples Republik of Kaliforia), I understand the law as this. store personel CANNOT physicaly stop you, unless if they have an actual guard card from the state. also, somebody has to see you approach the item, select it, and try to exit without paying, all while not losing you visually. so if they did not see you do anything, too bad.
again, this is just my understanding of things, not hard facts.

-Kinkyman

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Not too unusual an occurrance, tho I can't understand why an explanation wasn't issued from all those cashiers, managers, etc.

It can also happen elsewhere, I mean I went to Home Depot the other night for some light bulbs. Checked out, headed for the exit, only to see the guy in front of me with a paid miter saw in hand setting off the sensors like crazy, only to have the cashiers try to get me as well, only problem I hadn't crossed the sensors range.

 

[ChuckRich]

I bought a phone at Wal-Mart one time. Nothing went wrong leaving the store but when I entered the next one the alarm went off. Since I was just coming in obviously I hadn't stolen anything so they just let me through. I think I remember them putting a sticker or something on my bag. It went off again on my way out and they just waved and smiled. Then at another store the same thing. The guy tried to de-mag it but apparently it was a component of the phone that was setting them off. I still don't know why it didn't happen at the WalMart though.

 

[bigboy9239]

I was a law enforcement officer (State Constable) for years in the Philly area......I still dabble in Bar security, store security, etc. What you have said is true....every bit of it....if you miss even a second on visual contact, you CAN'T effect an arrest. Unlike Police officers, security personel can't work on resonable suspicion.....they MUST have probable cause to even stop you. They can stop and frisk you IF..IF they have reason to believe you are carrying a weapon and only if they feel threatened at the time...but they cannot just stop and search you as a full police officer can.

And BTW, In Pa (and I believe in CA) someone who has what you call a "guard card" (we call it an ACT235 card here)...has the same powers of arrest as a police officer in that store. Now these are ARMED security officers...not just guards. So, as for calling a real cop.... he is as far as the law is concerned. In fact, on the 75-48 ( an incedent report) HIS NAME is listed as the arresting officer, not the cop who transported you to jail.

 

[bigboy9239]

As a fellow black man, I understand how you feel....of course I was a cop...so when the alarm goes off for me I ask them if they really want to search me. Know what I mean? Do YOU really want to do that...given the circumstances.....I have never had anyone yet search me...they KNOW they can't make you go through that shit...but they are banking on the public being ignorant and to just go alone with the stop and search...which is illegal under the 4th amendment (illegal search and seizure). Thats why they MUST see you from 1. just looking at the item...2. to picking it up to 3. concealing it..4.to walking out the store (which is construed as intent)...without loosing sight of you for one second. Technically, if you tell the security to fuck off and just leave, what can they do? get your license number? Pretty much it..

 

[BigCollege_Cock]

I hate that...it happens to me with clothes. I was in a huge mall and the Abercrombie was at one end and I walked half way across the mall and into another store and the alarm went off...and the clerk said "they forgot to take the while tag things off" so I had to go all the way back and have them remove it...then they scan the reciept to make sure you didn't steal it when it was there damn mistake...It happens ALL the time! lol