Theft Rising at U.S. Wal-Mart Stores

[guruoo]

Theft Rising at U.S. Wal-Mart Stores

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO and MARCUS KABEL

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shoppers at Wal-Mart stores across America are loading carts with
merchandise - maybe a flat-screen TV, a few DVDs and a six-pack of beer - and strolling
out without paying. Employees also are helping themselves to goods they haven't paid for.

The world's largest retailer is saying little about these kinds of thefts, but its recent
public disclosures that it is experiencing an increase in so-called shrinkage at its U.S.
stores suggests that inventory losses due to shoplifting, employee theft, paperwork errors
and supplier fraud could be worsening.

The hit is likely to rise to more than $3 billion this year for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which
generated sales of $348.6 billion last year, according to retail consultant Burt Flickinger III.

Flickinger and other analysts say the increase in theft may be tied to Wal-Mart's highly
publicized decision last year to no longer prosecute minor cases of shoplifting in order
to focus on organized shoplifting rings. Former employees also say staffing levels, including
security personnel, have been reduced, making it easier for theft to occur. And a union-backed
group critical of the retailer's personnel policies contends general worker discontent is playing a role.

.....

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WAL_MART_THEFT?SITE=TNCLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[az chela]

1. They need to hire Hillary back,she was a great corporate lawyer for them ,maybe she

can get her gestapo to work as security guards

[durrrty libby]

2. Well Heaven forbid anyone blame the despicable slugs doing the actual stealing

How can we expect politicians to behave ethically and possess integrity, if we don’t

believe those qualities are important for ourselves?

[guruoo]

3. Might this be a simple case of 'free market justice'?

Companies screw employees, employees, who are provided with
no other recourse, screw them back.

[KurtNYC]

5. So if your employees agreed to work for a certain wage and then

stole stuff from you, you would count that as even? as "justice"?

This thread is embarrassing.

[guruoo]

7. It's not that simple

[orleans]

4. how ironic--walmart has helped to create local economies that

can't even afford their fucking "FALLING PRICES"!

HA!

[Aristus]

6. Theft? It's Wal-Mart employees taking what the corporation refuses to pay them.

Power to 'em, man. The only difference between a wealthy criminal and a poor criminal is that the poor criminal has to do time for the crime.