Monday, June 2, 2014

Wal-Mart Crime report May 2014



There were over ten shooting incidents at Wal-Marts across the country this month and close to if not more than another ten gun related incidents including armed robberies and car-jackings. One of them was below the Texas border and it included at least five deaths in a drug battle with Mexican soldiers; the rest were in the United States and there were at least a couple more deaths as well as accidental shootings that injured two people.

One of these shootings and one other incident involved attempts to run over police officers. There were also several bizarre assaults or attempted assaults, some involving mentally unstable people. One where a teen attacked a four year old stranger because she thought she was Chinese, another where a customer attacked a cashier with a pair of scissors while accusing them of being with the mafia and another where an angry man left an argument in the parking lot, sped off and smashed into three cars injuring five people not involved in the argument.

One police officer indicated that he found it hard to understand why a woman would leave her child alone in Florida while going to work at Wal-Mart. No doubt many other people might find things like this, and many of the other incidents that happen at Wal-Mart, hard to understand, as well but if they had to work on the wages that Wal-Mart provides or lived in a state like Florida which supposedly has one of the worst records for caring for the poor they might understand why some of them might resort to desperate measures. The Loesel family in Michigan wouldn’t have to worry about these problems but they’re still suing for even more money after winning $3.8 million verdict for a lost Walmart deal. This could work out quite well for Wal-Mart if towns that want to stand up to them hesitate because they could be forced to pay damages for not allowing them into their towns or allow them in and which while they destroy local economies and use their market power to monopolize areas.

This wasn’t a problem when anti-trust laws prevented a small number of oligarchies from cornering the market and avoiding real competition.

Barack Obama decided to show up at one of their stores and praise Wal-Mart for helping with clean energy!

Not surprisingly hardly anyone fell for it. Stacy Mitchell claims it is the last place he should be making such a speech; I disagree, he could have praised BP for their “beyond Petroleum” campaign in the gulf shortly after the off-shore rig exploded or praised ExxonMobil when their pipeline sprung major leaks or several other occasion; however in order to come up with something even worse than praising Wal-Mart for clean energy initiatives he would have to come up with something incredibly pathetic, so her point is valid.

Robert Reich asked what 'Numbskull' came up with this but it had to be a lot more than one numbskull before the decision was made and implemented; the resulting protest was so obvious people must be wondering how they could have possibly expected anyone to believe them.

Could they have actually been trying to incite protests?

If so, I suppose they succeeded.

They also settled a lawsuit about food poisoning that killed at least 33 people; even though they claim they take safety very seriously this is just one of many recalls that they have had to settle to recall large amounts of their products and they continue cutting as many corners as they seem to get away with until something like this happens.

Many people have been wondering if any executives been penalized for recent scandals; and the answer clearly seems to be, for the most part, no.

Nor are they the ones that are in the line of fire when there are shootings in their stores. Nor is there much if any effort to find out if their policies contribute to a hostile work environment or higher crime.

Or at least they haven’t been held accountable yet.

Their sales are finally headed steadily and consistently down; and hardly anyone believes their claims about this being a result of the weather or cuts in food stamps anymore than anyone believes they’re good for the environment.

Perhaps, without political reform, this is the only way that they can eventually be held accountable for their actions.

In the mean time they have been funding a pilot program in Texas where they’re teaching high school children to prepare for jobs in retail.

If this doesn’t raise alarm bells about corporations having too much control over the education system to promote their propaganda I don’t know what does.

Strange things happen at Wal-Mart!



In 2006 Wake Up Wal-Mart did a study, "Is Wal-Mart Safe?" based on incidents in 2004, (PDF) about crime at Wal-Mart which showed that it increased when Wal-Marts opened up and that crime was higher at Wal-Mart than at other retailers. Since then Wal-Mart Shootings began compiling a list of gun related incidents at Wal-Mart and demonstrated that they have a large number of them, including on average more than one shooting per week somewhere in the country. In January of 2014 another study, "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" provided additional statistical research indicating that Wal-Mart might be contributing to higher crime rates or at least a slowing of the decline in crime. The study found that. “on average, communities with Walmarts had 17 more property crimes and two more violent crimes per 10,000 people than those communities without Walmarts.” I reviewed this more in Wal-Mart’s crime problem, Rolling Back Safety more than prices? where I explained that although this study is helpful they could have done better with additional data that is available and I reviewed some of that. I also added my own review about why I think that Wal-Mart policies have been contributing to higher crime in a previous blog, Wal-Mart high crime rate continues uninvestigaterd and have provided additional information under the author tag Walmart Crime Watch.

Stacy Mitchell has also compiled a list of other studies about Wal-Mart and how they impact society, Key Studies on Big-Box Retail & Independent Business. To the best of my knowledge Wal-Mart has done as little as they seem to get away with, often relying on rhetoric that isn't backed up with action, when it comes to addressing any of their critics concerns, including crime. The following are a list of incidents that occurred in May 2014. According to the "Is Wal-Mart Safe?" the average store in their sampling had 250 incidents per year, indicating that these are only a fraction of the crime reports at Wal-Mart, and presumably, the ones most likely to make the news on the internet nationwide. This isn't statistically representative, as the 2006 or the "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" study or some of the studies cited by Stacy Mitchell; but it does provide some additional information that may help recognize how many problems there are at Wal-Mart.



Pa. Shoplifting suspect charged with faking Walmart receipt 05/01/2014

Palm Bay Fla. Walmart reopens after evacuation due to 'suspicious' package which turns out to be Copier parts, not bomb 05/01/2014

Wisc. Walmart employee had no cash, robbery suspect arrested 05/01/2014

Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo criticizes Los Angeles’ Ca. pension investments in Wal-Mart 05/01/2014

Man accused of stealing from Scott Twp. Pa. Walmart several times 05/01/2014

Police have cleared the scene of a bomb threat at a south Tulsa Ok. Walmart 05/01/2014 Police say the call originated from a private number so they couldn't retrieve the caller's identity from the caller ID.

Bogus bomb threat called into Circleville Ohio-area Walmart 05/02/2014

Teens charged in 'knock-out game' assault of teacher at Burton Mich. Wal-Mart 05/02/2014

Fla. Police: Mom left 18-month-old alone at home during Walmart work shift 05/02/2014

LARGO — A 19-year-old mother was arrested on child neglect charges Friday after police said she left her 18-month-old daughter alone in her apartment while she went to work at Walmart.

The child was left alone around 5:30 a.m., and the mother, Angela Lutz, hadn't planned on returning until 3:30 p.m., Largo police said.

A relative of the 18-month-old girl's father called police Friday morning and asked officers to check on the baby because her mother was known to leave the baby unattended, police said. The child's father is currently in jail.

About 9 a.m. Friday, an officer went to Brittany Bay Apartments, 1201 Seminole Blvd., and found the child alone in the mother's apartment, which was in disarray, with very limited food, police said.

"Some cases are just hard to understand, and this one certainly falls in that category," Largo Police Chief Jeff Undestad wrote in an email to city officials. "Thankfully the child will be okay." Complete article


Tree Hugger: "Cheap and organic" sounds like an oxymoron, but Walmart doesn't think so 05/01/2014

Cape Coral Fla. woman accused of TV theft at Walmart 05/02/2014

Arnold grandmother uses granddaughter to allegedly shoplift from Missouri Walmart 05/03/2014

Man arrested after being accused of robbing Fla. Wal-Mart 05/04/2014 Wright told police that he owned Wal-Mart and had sent them a letter making the company aware of the ownership, police said.

Carlisle Pa. police look for man who tried to steal woman's purse at Walmart 05/05/2014

Man, 34, shot outside far east El Paso Tx. Walmart 05/04/2014

Walmart spent over $109 million in FY14 on anti-corruption drive 05/05/2014

Madison Ala. police charge 2 with stealing from Wal-Mart 05/05/2014

Tales from Walmart: Sex in Aisle 12 05/05/2014

Fulton couple charged for attacking another couple at Granby NY Wal-Mart 05/05/2014

SD Police: Man arrested for punching Walmart security guard over foot-long sandwich 05/05/2014

Man stole $1,000 in goods from 2 Fla. Walmarts 05/05/2014

Huntsville Ala. lawsuit says developer wanted Star Market property for Bailey Cove Wal-Mart 05/05/2014

Going against residents’ wishes, Deltona OKs Wal-Mart 05/0/2014

Man shot by police at Walmart in Lakewood Colorado may have pointed a toy gun at officers 05/06/2014

Loesel family seeks to add $900K to $3.8 million verdict for lost Walmart deal in Frankenmuth Mich. 05/06/2014

BAY CITY, MI — The family whose effort to sell land to Walmart was blocked by the Frankenmuth City Council is asking a judge to add $900,000 in interest to the nearly $4 million verdict in their favor.

In addition, the attorneys for the Loesel family, whom a jury in March awarded $3.8 million for the lost deal, are asking U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington to award them more than $400,000 in attorney fees.

The family's lead attorney, Andrew Kochanowski, filed the requests Thursday, May 1, in U.S. District Court in Bay City, where a jury sided with the Loesels. The family claimed city officials violated its 14th Amendment equal protection rights when the council used an ordinance to zone the 37 acres the Loesels owned along M-83 in Frankenmuth Township to limit building size. In response, Walmart bailed on a $4 million purchase agreement. Complete article


Judge rejects young woman's plea in purse-snatching, but accepts her sisters plea, outside Pa. Walmart 05/06/2014

President Obama To Stop At Mountain View Ca. Walmart In Latest Bay Area Fundraising Trip 05/06/2014

Shots fired by robber inside Oak Park Ca. Walmart 05/06/2014

SAN DIEGO — A robber fired several shots Tuesday night during a robbery inside a crowded Walmart store in Oak Park on College Avenue.

No one was hurt in what San Diego police Lt. Paul Phillips described as a "very brazen" heist.

The robber demanded money from a store cashier about 10 p.m, Phillips told reporters. Some witnesses said he fired two shots, and some said three shots, Phillips said. No one appeared to have been targeted and no one was hit, the lieutenant said. Complete article

Police think Oak Park Ca. Walmart shooter struck twice 05/07/2014 SAN DIEGO — A man who fired shots during a Walmart robbery Tuesday night is believed to be the same person who fired rounds during a robbery at the store in late November, San Diego police said Wednesday.


China Workers Power Sets Off Strikes for Nike, Wal-Mart 05/07/2014

Cleveland Ohio | Federal lawsuit filed here against Wal-Mart 05/06/2014

Green Bay Wisc. group vows to keep fighting big-box Wal-Mart 05/06/2014

Walmart at bottom of supermarket ratings 05/06/2014

Albany NY Residents Express Disapproval of Walmart Express Moving In 05/05/2014

Why Wal-Mart Isn't Too Big to Keep Growing 05/05/2014

Victim in Hastings Mich. Wal-Mart crash dies in hospital 05/07/2014 In the three years from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2012, Fuller says there were 24 collisions right at Wal-Mart's entrance.

Robber racks up at Del. Walmart with stolen credit cards 05/06/2014

Walmart petty Thieves Arrested in Washington Township Pa. 05/06/2014 Both are being held at the Franklin County Jail.

3 teenagers sought in robbery at Lake Park Fla. Wal-Mart parking lot 05/06/2014

Woman pleads guilty to Ohio Walmart TV theft 05/06/2014

Critical Alerts For Walmart, Monsanto, Proto Labs, Qihoo 360 Technology, and Delphi Automotive Released By InvestorsObserver 05/06/2014

Crime Stoppers: Stolen Credit Cards Used at Lynchburg Va. Walmart 05/06/2014

Deadly gun battle reported outside Walmart in Reynosa south of Texas border 05/05/2014

Traffic came to a halt on one of Reynosa's busiest roads following reports of a deadly shootout outside a popular store.

It all happened outside a Walmart store off Bulevar Hidalgo around 2 p.m. Monday.

Reynosa residents turned to the social media network Twitter to report the fatal firefight.

Tamaulipas state officials confirmed arrests in operations nearby but did not offer any immediate details about the shootout.

Residents reported at least five gunmen were killed in the shootout with Mexican soldiers. Complete article


Sheriff: Alleged Louisiana Walmart robber tries to run over deputy 05/06/2014

CHALMETTE, LA (WVUE) - Detectives say a man tried to run over a deputy, after stealing from a Chalmette Walmart.

Titus White, 33, faces several charges, including attempted murder, hit and run, theft and drug possession.

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office says he stole a 55-inch television from the store Saturday night and tried to run over an off-duty deputy who was working the detail.

The deputy got out of the way, but was able to get the SUV's license plate before the suspect drove out of the parking lot. Complete article


Lihue Hawaii Walmart evacuated after bomb threat 05/05/2014

Video shows woman attack Wash. Walmart clerk with scissors 05/07/2014

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. -- Newly released surveillance video shows a bizarre and violent outburst at a Walmart check-out stand in Mount Vernon last Friday.

Police say Nancy K. Reed allegedly said something about the mafia kidnapping her grandchild, and she didn't like the vibe coming from the register.

Then, violence erupted. The video shows the woman pulling scissors from her cart and jabbing a clerk in the arm. Seconds later, she lunges at a second employee with the scissors -- a tussle that ends up on the ground.

At some point, Reed goes for the hair, police said.

"The staff person got her hair pulled and a fist-full of hair came out," said Shannon Haigh with Mount Vernon police. Complete article


Woman allegedly stabs Wash. Walmart employee with scissors for disliking her ‘vibe’ 05/08/2014

Clarksville Tenn. man charged with attempted homicide in parking lot shooting 05/07/2014

CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — A Clarksville man fired a shot at a woman’s car in the parking lot of the Sango Walmart Wednesday evening, according to Clarksville Police reports. Kevin Wayne Rozelle, 44, was charged with criminal attempted homicide. Bond was set at $500,000

At about 6:45 p.m., during a domestic dispute, the man followed the woman into the lot and fired a round into her back window, according to a news release from police spokeswoman Officer Natalie Hall. Complete article


Victim of Ala. Walmart shooting involving Morgan County deputy retains attorney 05/08/2014

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama-- The man who was shot at a Huntsville Walmart by an off-duty Morgan County Sheriff's Deputy has retained an attorney.

David Horton, the victim of the shooting, has chosen Birmingham civil attorney Tommy James to represent him. James has prosecuted numerous cases involving state and local agencies and their employees throughout the state of Alabama.

"This incident should have never happened," James said. "While my client did have an outstanding probation violation pickup order, that in no way justified an off-duty deputy not in uniform, from another county, to shoot my client at a crowded Walmart."

"The law in Alabama clearly states that a law enforcement officer may only use deadly force if he or others are in imminent threat of harm. That was obviously not the case here as my client was grabbed by the deputy, who did not identify himself or show his badge, and was then shot in the back while trying to get away. The use of deadly force was clearly unjustified in this case and as a result my client was injured and many bystanders, including children, were put at severe risk." Complete article


Bank inside Ok. Walmart robbed Thursday 05/08/2014

Obama angers labor groups with Wal-Mart visit to promote energy efficiency 05/09/2014

Man arrested at Tenn. Walmart in theft investigation 05/09/2014 According to an affidavit, a woman with Begley told officers he threatened her and her children into shoplifting. She had taken items amounting to $446.40

Union City Ca. police: Suspected shoplifter bites Wal-Mart security officer 05/09/2014

Wal-Mart Bribery Lawsuit Should Go Forward, Judge Says 05/09/2014

Robert Reich Trashes White House 'Numbskull' For Walmart Event 05/09/2014

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich trashed the White House on Thursday for using Walmart, an enemy of unions and fair-pay advocates, as a poster company for a new climate-change campaign.

Reich, who served under President Bill Clinton, called Walmart one of the country’s “worst employers,” with “low wages, unreliable hours, few benefits, discrimination against women and anti-union” offenses.

“What numbskull in the White House arranged this?” wrote Reich, now a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. "This" referred specifically to President Barack Obama's plan to visit a Walmart store in Mountain View, California, to tout the company's efforts at increasing energy efficiency. Complete article


Obama's Wal-Mart stop prompts labor backlash 05/09/2014

Walmart is the last place Obama should be making a clean energy speech By Stacy Mitchell 05/09/2014

Today President Obama is speaking about clean energy and energy efficiency at a Walmart in Mountain View, Calif. Of all the places he might give a big speech on energy, a Walmart supercenter is a baffling and disconcerting choice.

Walmart — despite its skill in attracting publicity like this — is a laggard on renewable energy and one of the biggest and fastest-growing climate polluters on the planet. While many competing retailers are already running on 100 percent renewable power, Walmart’s wind and solar projects supply just 3 percent of its U.S. electricity — and that’s down from 4 percent two years ago.

Walmart’s fossil fuel consumption and climate emissions, meanwhile, are growing rapidly. In the last year alone, Walmart’s climate emissions rose 2 percent, or more than 500,000 metric tonnes. It now ranks just behind Chevron on the list of biggest climate polluters.

As if these facts were not troubling enough, a recent academic study has documented, for the first time, how the big-box retailing revolution led by Walmart and other big chains has dramatically increased the amount of energy we’re using to schlep consumer goods across the country and into our homes. The data is downright shocking. .... Complete article


Wal-Mart worker denied entry to Obama event in San Jose Ca. amid protest 05/09/2014

Police: Armored truck employee ambushed outside busy Walmart in Pearland Tx. 05/09/2014

Jeff. Co. deputies on scene of officer-involved fatal shooting outside Birmingham Ala. Walmart 05/09/2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) –A man shot and killed Friday night after attempting to run over a deputy has been identified.

Chief Deputy Randy Christian with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says 21-year-old Devante Kyshon Hinds of Birmingham was fleeing the scene of a drug deal deputies had just broken up when he tried to run over a deputy with a car. The deputy opened fire, hitting Hinds. The incident took place shortly after 9 p.m. in the parking lot of Walmart on Parkway East.

Investigators have been able to confirm through evidence and questioning that the others involved in the drug deal were meeting Hughes to buy heroin, and that the deputies were justified in the shooting, according to Christian. Complete article


Man sentenced to prison in NC Walmart kidnapping 05/09/2014

Police: Men Stole Bottle Of Alcohol From Ca. Walmart, Attacked Security Guard 05/10/2014

ROCKLIN (CBS13) – Two men are under arrest on charges they shoplifted some alcohol from a Rocklin Walmart, then attacked two people who tried to stop them.

Rocklin Police say that, just before 12:30 p.m. Friday, officers were called to the Walmart off on 5454 Crossings Drive for a reported strong-arm robbery. Once at the scene, officers were told that a loss prevention officer had tried to stop two men who left the store without paying for a bottle of alcohol.

The loss prevention officer confronted the two men – identified as 23-year-old Kory Dean Johnson and 20-year-old Bradley Scott Rondeau, both from Loomis – but was attacked by one of the men.

Both men then ran away, but when the officer pulled out his phone to call 911, one of the men came back, took the phone and ran. Complete article


Ballston Spa NY residents speak out against proposed Walmart 05/11/2014

Want big bank fees? Head for Wal-Mart 05/12/2014

Police: Man Robbed Id. Walmart With Knife 05/12/2014

Guns stolen from Ky. and Ind. Wal-Marts 05/12/2014

Wal-Mart banks, overdraft protection, and consumer rationality 05/12/2014

The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating story on the front page about the operations of banks located inside Wal-Mart–
although not really for the reason that the reporters believe it is interesting. The authors think it is interesting because they see it as exposing nefarious practices by these banks, which generate large overdraft protection fees and (it is implied) exploit consumers. In fact, the real story is exactly the opposite–it is compelling evidence of how consumers use alternative credit products, and I suspect, compelling evidence of the unintended consequences of government regulation of consumer credit products.[See update below.]

In an article that former Comptroller of the Currency Robert Clarke and I published in the fall, we discussed in detail how consumers use bank overdraft protection and payday lending and the competition between the two products. In particular, we note that available evidence strongly suggests that in choosing between the two products, consumers generally choose rationally. First, those who use these products (like all alternative lending products) are people who don’t have credit cards or would exceed their credit limits on their credit cards and trigger high fees. So they use these products because they are the least-bad alternative they have at the moment to meet pressing financial obligations.

But even more striking, when choosing between payday lending and overdraft protection, consumers generally choose rationally. As we note in the article, the similar uses but dissimilar pricing of payday loans and overdraft protection provide an excellent natural experiment to examine how consumers use the two products. Payday loans have a fee scale tied to the size of the loan–typically $15 per $100 borrowed. Overdraft protection, by contrast, is a fixed-rate product (mostly)–an overdraft charges a flat fee, typically $27-$35 or so, regardless of the size of the overdraft. As a result, for a single loan, payday lending will generally be less expensive for loans of up to $180 (depending on a particular bank’s fees) and an overdraft will be less expensive beyond that level. Complete article


Shoplifting incident at Ga. Wal-Mart leads to serious charges 05/012/2014

A man being questioned at Wal-Mart on Saturday about possible shoplifting ended up in jail on much more serious charges.

According to a Bibb County Sheriff’s Office release, a store loss-prevention officer was questioning a man and woman when the man pulled a knife and held it to the officer’s neck.

The officer suffered a minor cut as he struggled to get away from the suspect, who was chased down and arrested by deputies. Complete article


Sullivan Co. Tenn. deputies searching for man who allegedly stole purse, tried to use debit card in Walmart 05/12/2014

Suspects accused of stealing 22 cell phones from NC Walmart 05/12/2014

Wal-Mart, Continental have different takes on Noranda proposal in Missouri 05/12/2014

Even though both could see their electric bills increase as a result, two of Ameren Missouri’s large power customers have a different take on Noranda Aluminum’s push for a lower power rate.

In testimony filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission on Friday, Continental Cement made clear it opposed Noranda’s rate request, while Wal-Mart Stores Inc. signaled it was not opposed to the shift.

Noranda operates a huge aluminum smelter in the Missouri Bootheel that employs roughly 900 people and requires massive amounts of electricity. As Ameren Missouri’s largest customer, its request for lower bills would mean a $47 million annual loss of revenue for Ameren. Other customers’ bills would rise approximately 2 percent to make up the difference. Complete article


Man charged with stealing car from Athens Ala. Wal-Mart 05/12/2014

AZ deputies: Walmart serial thief arrested again 05/12/2014

Woman sought for Va. Walmart theft attempt in Chesapeake 05/12/2014

Fla. Deputies: Drunken man harassed Walmart customers 05/13/2014

Walmart settles with cantaloupe victims from Colorado outbreak 05/13/2014

Walmart this week agreed to pay families of victims who died in a 2011 cantaloupe listeria outbreak that killed 33 people and was traced to a Colorado farm.

The company settled with 23 families, including nine in Colorado, Bill Marler, the families' attorney, said Tuesday. The terms of the settlement were kept confidential.

Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said company officials "are pleased with the resolution, which was in everyone's best interest."

"We are committed to our customers' safety, and we take food-safety concerns like this very seriously," he said.

As soon as the company was "made aware of a listeria outbreak," Hargrove said, Walmart stores in Colorado and other states immediately removed the contaminated cantaloupes from their produce departments.

But some families alleged in lawsuits that Walmart should have reacted more aggressively, including making speedier warnings to customers who bought the melons. In the fallout of the outbreak, Walmart sued the companies that had inspected and delivered the cantaloupes. Walmart declined to give the status of those claims. Complete article


Soldier surrenders to Fayetteville police after standoff in NC Walmart parking lot 05/12/2014

Fayetteville, N.C. — An unidentified male soldier surrendered to Fayetteville police late Tuesday following a 90-minute standoff in the parking lot of a Walmart on Skibo Road.

Officers responding to the west Fayetteville store at about 10:30 p.m. found the man inside a car. According to authorities, he was threatening to harm himself.

Police cleared the parking lot, and customers were kept inside the store as a precaution.

"Cops told us to get in our cars, get back inside the building, because we were in the firing range," Robert Casey, a witness, told WRAL News.

The active duty soldier, who was believed to have a weapon, surrendered at about midnight, and he was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation. His name has not been released and it was unclear if he would face charges. Complete article


Police search for man who exposed self to young girl at Fla. Walmart 05/14/2014

Accused thief banned from Oneonta NY Walmart 05/15/2014

Huntsville Ala. police blotter: Underwear, makeup, salad stolen from 3 Walmarts 05/15/2014

San Jose Ca. teen arrested after crowbar assault on child, 4, at Walmart 05/15/2014

SAN JOSE -- An 18-year-old woman was arrested after she allegedly hit a 4-year-old girl and her father with a crowbar inside a Walmart late Tuesday morning, police said.

Maria Garate, a San Jose resident, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after she walked into the Walmart, located at 777 Story Road, around 10:59 a.m. and struck the girl and her father, police said.

Garate approached the pair and without warning hit the 4-year-old girl over the head with a crowbar, according to a police statement. Garate attempted to hit the girl again, police said, but the father, who has not been identified, stepped in to protect his daughter and was struck instead. Complete article

San Jose Ca.: Police report details how mental illness, racial animus fueled attack on little girl at Walmart 05/21/2014


Wal-Mart Forecast Misses Estimates as Sales Slump Lingers 05/15/2014

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), the world’s largest retailer, forecast second-quarter profit that missed analysts’ estimates as the company copes with slow sales in the U.S., especially at its Sam’s Club warehouse stores.

Earnings will be $1.15 to $1.25 a share this quarter, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said today in a statement. Analysts had projected $1.28, the average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales and profit in the fiscal first quarter, which ended April 30, also missed estimates. ....

First-quarter net income fell 5 percent to $3.59 billion, or $1.11 a share, from $3.78 billion, or $1.14, a year earlier. Complete article


U.S. consumers aren't buying as much from Wal-Mart lately, and neither are investors. 05/15/2014

The retail king's used the "blame it on the weather" excuse to explain its lackluster first quarter, but Wall Street viewed it with the same skepticism as the dog (or Internet virus) eating a kids' homework. Complete article


Smoke fills Sarasota Fla. Walmart 05/15/2014

Wal-Mart: Have any executives been penalized for recent scandals? 05/15/2014

FORTUNE -- Wal-Mart's earnings, revenue, and comparable store sales all missed expectations, as the company made clear in an announcement early this morning. One factor was the "the unseasonably cold and disruptive weather." The retailer's annual meeting also risks being disruptive. An investor coalition has filed a resolution calling on Wal-Mart (WMT) to disclose whether it recouped any pay from employees implicated in the numerous scandals that have beset the company in recent months.

The resolution comes not only as a result of bribery allegations at its operations in Mexico, China, and Brazil, which have already cost the company over $439 million, but also because of current investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC as well as several investor lawsuits. In addition, the company was recently fined over $110 million after pleading guilty to charges of illegally dumping hazardous waste in California and Missouri. Finally, the National Labor Relations Board also issued a complaint against Wal-Mart that alleged it illegally threatened, monitored, punished, and fired employees who engaged in protests calling for better pay and working conditions.

Someone must have been responsible, investors reasonably infer, so someone should be held accountable. The investor coalition includes: UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, Illinois State Board of Investment, Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds, Amalgamated Bank LongView Funds, and F&C Management Ltd. The resolution will come up for vote on June 6 at the annual meeting. Complete article


City of Portland Oregon no longer investing in Walmart 05/15/2014

Easton Pa. man crashes van after selling heroin at Walmart, and fleeing police 05/16/2014

Teenaged bank robbery suspect caught while driving home from Colorado Walmart with new video game system 05/16/2014

Road project near Walmart site sparks complaint about use of Tigard Oregon gas tax funds 05/16/2014

Residents fight against Walmart at Quaker Village in Greensboro NC 05/16/2014

Columbia man arrested in Penn. Walmart armed robbery in Springettsbury Township 05/17/2014

Security Guard Attacked During Colorado Walmart Theft 05/19/2014

Man accidentally shoots self at Phoenix Ariz. Wal-Mart 05/18/2014

Police: Va. Walmart rejects man’s eight credit cards, accepts ninth – it was stolen 05/19/2014

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – Chesterfield Police are looking for two men accused of using other people’s credit card information to go on a shopping spree.

One suspect used eight different credit cards at the Walmart in Hancock Village Shopping Center on April 15, according to police. Each card was rejected.

A ninth card he tried was accepted, police said.

At the same time, a second suspect tried to use four credit cards before a fifth card was accepted. Complete article


Walmart & Contractor Settle $21M Wage Theft Suit, Days After Obama Praises Penny-Pinching Retailer 05/15/2014

Meet the Ad 'Injection' Scheme Hitting Target, YouTube and Walmart.com 05/15/2014

Local woman with special needs handcuffed and interrogated inside a Mich. Walmart 05/14/2014

Walmart Suing a Photog’s Widow, Waltons Say They Own the Copyright to His Photos of Their Family 05/17/2014

Walmart Needs to Buy J.C. Penney to Thrive 05/16/2014

Nashville Tenn. Walmart employee charged with public indecency 05/19/2014

Shoplifter accused of enlisting 10-year-old's help at Ky. Walmart 05/19/2014

Man Arrested In Ca. Walmart Parking Lot BB Gun Attack 05/19/2014

Gallatin Tenn. police search for Walmart theft suspect 05/19/2014

Police: Armed Man steals $20K from RI Walmart store 05/19/2014

Person Killed in Frito Lay truck Collision Behind Dallas Tx. Wal-Mart Market 05/19/2014

2nd suspect arrested in car theft at Athens Ala. Wal-Mart 05/19/2014

Post Falls Id. Police declare suspicious package a false alarm 05/19/2014

Police: 'Palm reader' gropes women in Fla. Walmart parking lot 05/19/2014

Entrepreneurs hitched businesses to Minn. Wal-Mart. Then it left. 05/20/2014

Watchful Utah Walmart manager leads police to burglars 05/20/2014

Police looking for man involved in SC Walmart larceny 05/20/2014

Woman arrested at Ga. Wal-Mart 05/19/2014

Ill. Walmart worker alleges retaliatory discharge after comp claim 05/20/2014

Banks At Walmart Are 'Exploiting The Poor': Investor 05/13/2014

Walmart US CEO Gets A $1.5 Million Bonus For Missing Expectations While A Worker Gets $0 05/12/2014

Police: Man stole beer and television from Palm Bay Fla. Walmart 05/20/2014

Portland Oregon's $9 million investment in Wal-Mart? The financial return for recent investment prior to divestment could pay half an employee 05/20/2014

Hadley Ma. police: Granby man who rode bicycle into rear of vehicle in Walmart parking lot taken to hospital with minor injuries 05/20/2014

Two sought in Fla. Walmart theft 05/20/2014

Bayonne NJ woman charged with shoplifting razor blades from Walmart 05/20/2014

Camera Watches Nebraska WalMart Thieves 05/20/2014

Fort Bend Tx. Walmart re-opens after bomb scare 05/20/2014

Always Low Wages, More Pollution: Why Barack & Michelle Obama Relentlessly Shill For Wal-Mart 05/21/2014

Huntsville Ala. police say shoplifter pushes Wal-Mart employee to get away with DVDs in pants 05/21/2014

Sheriff's Office seeks identity of suspect in TV theft from York Va. Walmart 05/22/2014

San Antonio Tx. Walmart employee accused of bringing gun to work 05/23/2014

TrenDE Delaware Horror Story: Why Wal-Mart's lousy customer service reputation is warranted 05/23/2014

Hoax prompts evacuation of Camdenton Missouri Walmart 05/23/2014

Washington Police: Man who drowned in canal was running from Walmart guard 05/22/2014

Miss. Walmart employee charged with embezzlement 05/22/2014

Police: Meth lab bust at NC Walmart parking lot lands 3 in jail 05/22/2014

Walmart cracks down on shoplifting from Wyoming store 05/22/2014

Lubbock man faces five counts of aggravated assault in hit-and-run incident at Wal-Mart 05/22/2014

A 33-year-old Lubbock man was in jail facing multiple felony charges after injuring five people — including four children — when he rammed his heavy-duty pickup truck late Thursday into three vehicles at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Southwest Lubbock.

Nicholas Zane Melton was being held at the Lubbock County Detention Center on five first-degree felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a state felony count of criminal mischief and a misdemeanor count of issuance of a bad check, according to jail records. ....

Investigators believe Melton was having an argument about 9:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at 6315 82nd St. before entering his white 2012 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup and speeding off north, according to the release.

Melton continued speeding in the parking lot and struck three vehicles in the Murphy fueling area. He continued driving away, crossing a grassy area onto 82nd Street and hitting a fourth vehicle.

Melton drove his truck into the Betenbough Homes parking lot and walked away. Officers found Melton shortly after and arrested him.

None of the individuals Melton allegeldy struck were involved in the earlier argument, said Lubbock police Sgt. Jason Lewis. Complete article


Former Pa. Walmart employee allegedly wanted to assault other employees with baseball bat 05/23/2014

A Slatington man who previously worked at the Walmart near Lehighton is facing attempted assault charges after showing up at the store with a baseball bat he planned to use against his former co-workers, police said.

Anthony Munoz, 21, allegedly went to the Walmart on Route 443 in Mahoning Township on Wednesday night and fled before police arrived. No one was hurt. Complete article


Wal-Mart Is Falling Apart Like Never Before 05/19/2014

Documents: Fired Ark. Deputy Took Nude Photos; Walmart Called Police 05/21/2014

One of the three Washington County deputies arrested or fired over the last month was terminated after taking nude photographs of a woman without her knowledge, according to a termination letter released by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

A May 2 termination letter to Darren Morrow states he was fired for violating the Sheriff’s Office policy against conduct unbecoming an employee or officer.

“That is conduct unbecoming an Employee or Officer of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office,” said Rick Hoyt, Enforcement Major of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

“The reasons for your termination stem from an incident that occurred where you used a cell phone to take nude pictures of a female (redacted) without her knowledge,” the termination letter states. “You then went to a local Wal-Mart and printed several hard copy prints, prompting Wal-Mart to call the Fayetteville Police Department because of the nature of the photos.”

The termination letter goes on to state Morrow drove his county-owned police vehicle to Walmart to order and pick up the nude photographs. Complete article


UPDATE: Man sentenced following 2011 Va. Walmart shootout 05/23/2014

Police: Oswego woman, already banned from NY Wal-Mart, charged with felony for stealing big screen TV 05/23/2014

Louisiana Walmart employee on light duty claims bathroom assignment is punishment 05/24/2014

JC Tenn. woman caught on camera stealing from Wal-Mart 05/25/2014

Man forces woman into car at gunpoint outside Walmart in Orlando Fla. 05/25/2014

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando police are looking for a man they say tried to rob and carjack a woman in a Walmart parking lot.

Authorities said it happened around 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the Walmart at 2500 S. Kirkman Road.

As the woman loaded her purchases into her vehicle, the suspect got in, pointed a gun at her and demanded money, police said.

According to police, the woman told the man she didn't have any money. That's when the man forced the woman into the passenger seat, pointed a gun at her head and demanded her ATM card. Complete article

Police: Man arrested, charged in attempted Fla. Walmart carjacking 05/28/2014


Police: Woman accidentally shot at Ind. Walmart 05/25/2014

COLUMBUS, Ind. - Police say a gunshot wounded a woman inside a central Indiana Wal-Mart store Saturday night after a man's handgun fell from his pants and fired.

Columbus police Lt. Matt Myers says 26-year-old Ginny Thompson was treated for an upper arm wound by medics at the store but declined to go to a hospital.

Myers tells The Republic that city Police Chief Jon Rohde was inside the Wal-Mart store Saturday evening when he heard the gunshot and called for assistance.

Myers says a 56-year-old man told officers that his handgun was in a holster when it fell from his waistband. One bullet hit Thompson who was pushing a shopping cart with her newborn son inside. Complete article


Man dies after Fla. Wal-Mart parking lot shooting 05/26/2014

A man died Monday after being shot in the parking lot of a Greenacres Walmart, according to a Greenacres Department of Public Safety news release.

The victim, Andre Lamar Folsom, 36, of West Palm Beach, was found in the parking lot at about 12:30 a.m. at the Walmart at 6294 Forest Hill Blvd.

He was seen leaving the Walmart moments earlier with several people. Those people are persons of interest, according to the release. Complete article


Bomb threat forces evacuation of Wal-Mart in Swatara Township Pa., police say 05/27/2014

Wal-Mart Shareholders Want to Hear More About This Bribery Problem 05/27/2014 But Institutional Shareholder Services wants you to vote no anyway; it also wants you to vote no on Wal-Mart's say-on-pay proposal and yes on a proposal to have an independent chairman. "Independent" means, in this case, "not having the last name Walton,"3 and again a majority of the shares voting on that proposal will be controlled by people with the last name Walton. Good luck!

Walmart cross-dresser suspected in thefts of TVs worth $10k from Casselberry Fla. store 05/27/2014

These guys have taken shoplifting through the roof.

For nearly a month, two men — one dressed as a woman — slipped big-screen TVs out of the Casselberry Walmart.

They took roughly $10,000 worth of TVs, 18 in all, from the electronics department at the 24-hour store at 1239 State Road 436 from April 12 to May 19.

They took them into the gardening center, which was closed at the time of the thefts, from midnight to 2:30 a.m.

Then they managed to climb up shelving, hoist up the TVs and slip them through fabric panels that acted as the ceiling in the gardening center, police said in a report. Complete article


What Wal-Mart prefers to keep secret 05/27/2014

Suspected shoplifter at Lakewood Co. Walmart pulls gun; leads police on chase 05/27/2014

A couple accused of pointing a gun at a Walmart security guard in a shoplifting case led police on a chase from Lakewood into Denver in a Jeep that had an infant on board.

The Jeep eventually stopped near West 12th Avenue and Perry Street and the driver, a man, ran away leaving a woman and a 2-year-old behind, said Steve Davis, a Lakewood Police Department spokesman.

Police using dogs to search for the robber found a suspect at about 12:55 p.m. Tuesday, hiding nearby in bushes, Davis said. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries, including a dog bite. Complete article


Pair sought in Kingsport Tenn. Walmart shoplifting 05/27/2014

Pennsylvania mother charged with stashing $210 of stolen goods from Walmart in 3-year-old child's backpack 05/27/2014

POLICE REPORTS: Man in truck points gun at angry man in Tx. Walmart parking lot 05/27/2014

Springville Utah Walmart employee arrested for theft 05/28/2014

Mom leaves sick children in car at Dickerson Pike Tenn. Walmart 05/28/2014

Wal-Mart CEO says pace of acquisitions to accelerate 05/28/2014

Police: 74-year-old Auburn woman charged with burglary after shoplifting from NY Walmart 05/28/2014

Shoplifting suspect captured after fleeing the scene at ga. Wal-Mart 05/28/2014

Woman robbed at gunpoint outside Walmart in Franklin Wisc. 05/28/2014

Wal-Mart Fires Back at Proxy Adviser Over Pay, Bribery Criticism 05/29/2014

Two Fla. Walmart employees in Palm Springs arrested for theft 05/29/2014

Sketch released of man who exposed himself inside Fla. Walmart 05/29/2014

Man, woman accused of $2,000 merchandise theft from Fuquay-Varina NC Walmart 05/29/2014

Vandal uses marker to tell Pa. Walmart shopper ‘learn how to park’ 05/29/2014

Clear Evidence That Costco And Walmart Live In Totally Different Worlds 05/29/2014

As Walmart grows globally, so does worker resistance 05/29/2014

Tx. Wal-Mart Supercenter named in negligence claim 05/29/2014

Police looking for two men accused of stealing cash from Ky. Walmart 05/29/2014

Anna Ill. police investigating Walmart thefts 05/29/2014

Krebs woman charged in Ok. Walmart check-cashing scheme 05/29/2014

Police: Flatscreen Thief at Tx. Walmart Caught After Pursuit 05/28/2014

Woman nabbed after fleeing Mich. Walmart theft scene 05/28/2014

Some Employees Are Furious At Management Payouts In Walmart's Big Adtech Acquisition 05/27/2014

NM Walmart parking lot scuffle ends in gunfire 05/30/2014

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —A fight in a Walmart parking lot ended in gunfire around 4:30 a.m. Friday.

Officers were called to the Walmart on Coors Bypass NW to check on a scuffle involving a large group of people.

Shots were fired as police arrived. Nobody was hurt, but police had to chase some people who ran from the scene. Complete article


Suffolk Va. Police looking for Walmart shoplifting suspects 05/30/2014

Police: Man Dressed In Army Uniform Steals Pool From Walmart 05/30/2014

Police: 2 steal 35 iPods, other electronics from NC Walmart 05/30/2014

Welcome to Wal-Mart High! 05/30/2014

It's springtime in Texas. The weather is warming up and the air is thick and humid as students count down the days until summer break, but inside one Houston-area high school, a group of students isn't exactly tied to their desks.

They aren't in the gym, in home economics class or studying math. These students are inside Scarborough High School's mock Wal-Mart store, located just down the hall from traditional classrooms. The store is a lab of sorts, set up and paid for by the retail giant, complete with a cash register, shelves of inventory, and those familiar "rollback" pricing signs on each display.

As the students of all high school grade levels fill up the lab, their teacher Sarah Ray begins to lecture them on the finer art of retail seasonality as she stands amid racks of bathing suits and beach towels.

It's the end of the first year of a retail immersion class called Etail/Retail, which is the brainchild of Tracy Davis, director for the Center for Retail Management at the University of Houston—Downtown. Complete article


Walmart moms announce new strikes in 20 cities starting Friday 05/29/2014

Shoplifting incident reported at Walmart in Raritan Township Pa. 05/31/2014

Suspects hit two Pasadena Tx. Walmart stores 05/2/2014

PSP Investigating Retail Theft at Pa. Walmart 05/30/2014

Toccoa residents charged with armed robbery outside Clayton Ga. Walmart 05/31/2014

2 Wanted for Thefts at Ill. and Ky. Walmart Stores 05/30/2014

6 ways Wal-Mart’s greed has gotten the company in hot water 05/24/2014


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