Shoplifters Wear 'I Am a Thief' Sign
ATTALLA, Ala. (AP) -- Shoppers entering the Wal-Mart Supercenter here got a reminder not to try anything funny: Two shoplifters stood outside with signs reading "I am a thief, I stole from Wal-Mart."
Attalla City Judge Kenneth Robertson Jr. ordered the two people to wear the signs for four hours each during two successive Saturdays.
"The only comments we've heard so far have been positive," said store manager Neil Hawkins. "Most of them thought it was a good thing."
One of the shoplifters, Lisa King Fithian, 46, wore the sign from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to avoid a 60-day jail sentence. Another convicted shoplifter was at the store from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fithian maintained her innocence. She said her conviction was based on a misunderstanding: She said she was taking a $7 item to the service desk because it would not scan.
Outside the store, she said people who saw her wearing the sandwich board commented that the punishment was "cruel."
Hawkins noted how embarrassing it would be for the public to see someone who got caught shoplifting. "Maybe they'll think twice about doing it," he said.
Attalla City Judge Kenneth Robertson Jr. ordered the two people to wear the signs for four hours each during two successive Saturdays.
"The only comments we've heard so far have been positive," said store manager Neil Hawkins. "Most of them thought it was a good thing."
One of the shoplifters, Lisa King Fithian, 46, wore the sign from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to avoid a 60-day jail sentence. Another convicted shoplifter was at the store from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fithian maintained her innocence. She said her conviction was based on a misunderstanding: She said she was taking a $7 item to the service desk because it would not scan.
Outside the store, she said people who saw her wearing the sandwich board commented that the punishment was "cruel."
Hawkins noted how embarrassing it would be for the public to see someone who got caught shoplifting. "Maybe they'll think twice about doing it," he said.
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quote:They should have a basket of rotten eggs, or tomatoes sitting out for people to chuck at them. I hate thieves.
[:D] Agreed.
quote:Outside the store, she said people who saw her wearing the sandwich board commented that the punishment was "cruel."
Yeah, lets feel sorry for a thief[:(!].
Jon0 -
quote:
They should have a basket of rotten eggs, or tomatoes sitting out for people to chuck at them. I hate thieves.
And a sign next to those eggs that says "Your prices are on the rise do to theft"0 -
Outside the store, she said people who saw her wearing the sandwich board commented that the punishment was "cruel."
The sentence was EITHER "a 60-day jail sentence" OR 4 hours of wearing the sign in front of WalMart.
Since she choose the four hours it must be less cruel to her than the sixty days.0 -
Kind of like the public stocks used in the days of the Purtains. Talk about an effective means of punishment, almost as good as the dunking chair![;)] 0 -
It's less cruel than being punished in the same manner outside of a Kmart.
There's nothing sadder then a thief that sets such low goals for themselves and gets caught shoplifting at a moderately priced superstore.0 -
I have no sympathy for shoplifters. I also have no sympathy for EMPLOYEES who steal, and I wonder if any thieving EMPLOYEES will be standing outside the store with signs on.
Wal*Mart measures its "shrinkage" at about 5%, but most of that figure is due to internal theft, not shoplifting.
It really ticks me off that UPS wants me to pay extra because they have EMPLOYEES who steal, rather than deal with the problem EMPLOYEES.0 -
just a few weeks ago someone posted a thread about a mother doing this to her son, and everyone thought she was way of of line 0 -
Not me.
Doug0 -
Me, either. Embarassment is a great motivator! 0 -
Punishment should have been 60 days AND wearing the sign in front of the store!!! 0 -
punishment should be cruel and unusual otherwise what the point of it. humiliation is the most important part of the punishment, this is a very good way of punishing someone just not sure whether they'll understand why exactly they are punished and that they've done something wrong. 0 -
Life is all about choices. Here's some ...
"Thou shall not steal" [:(!][V][xx(]
Face the consequence: Do the sign or do the time!0 -
worked in the colonial days.
BRING BACK STOCKADES!0 -
[}:)][}:)] What would moslems do if they caught someone stealing? 0 -
... bye-bye right hand![:D][:D][:D] 0 -
1911a1fan said " just a few weeks ago someone posted a thread about a mother doing this to her son, and everyone thought she was way of of line"
Post titled THIS Mama Ain't Playin0
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