My food shopping experience... Not what you'd expect!

[coltle6920]

Food shopping should be uneventful. Right? With the exception of long lines at checkout I don't have an issue. Didn't even make it inside before the craziness started.

Was finishing a cig in my truck before going inside. Along comes a shabbily dressed man looking in vehicles as he walks. He goes one aisle over and spots a compact car that apparently had something on the back seat that caught his interest.

He picks up a rock and throws it at a window a couple of times but fails to break it. Frustrated he walks away only to come back in a few minutes. This time he's mad and throws the rock even harder than before. He succeeds in entering the car and removes some items from the back seat.

I immediately call 911 giving the dispatcher the location and a description of the man. As the man walked away I was able to also give that info to 911 while sitting in my truck. I'm 72 with a bad leg so following him was out of the question. I also had no idea if he was hopped up on something.

I didn't realize it but apparently the owner of the car saw the man walking away with his items and gave chase. I saw him when he returned to his car and told him I called 911 and Leo was on the way. What surprised me was that after the man retrieved his goods he didn't try to hold on to the the thief for the LEO. The thief dropped the items without hesitation but was acting crazy or at least disoriented.

I couldn't have chased down the thief myself. I don't CC and even if I had a firearm in my vehicle I doubt I would've shown it. All in all a rather eventful start to going food shopping!!

And then there was the long wait in line at checkout. Oh well!!

 

[Onomea]

For what it's worth, I think you handled the situation well.

 

[coltle6920]

For what it's worth, I think you handled the situation well.

I did what I could but will always feel like I could've done more in hindsight. What really irked me is the numerous people in the area that appeared to do nothing. However, many of them had children with them.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

My Mother once lived in So. Denver, widow living alone. Heard some noise outside then some gun shots in her backyard. seems some creep robbed a business over on the main drag and the cops chased into Mom's yard. The guy was only wounded but mom was scared. mom wanted me to move there but no way.

 

[coltle6920]

Lived here 35yrs albeit in far NE Denver. School systems were the first to go downhill. Used to be able go downtown (16th Street Mall) with family or friends. Denver is a city of equal opportunity. You can get mugged, carjacked or run over crossing the street and if you're really unlucky all three in the same day.

 

[alwslate]

After being disgusted many times by various examples of human nature at the grocery store I found the solution. Easy as I am retired. Weekdays at no later than 8am. No lines, other like minded geezers, helpful, friendly not looking for drama. A whole different world than 8pm or weekends.

 

[Breakaway500]

Maybe a few blasts of the horn could have scared off the vagrant.Yes..it would draw attention to yourself but a loud horn brings a lot of eyes and thieves dont like attention..

 

[kaaskop49]

After being disgusted many times by various examples of human nature at the grocery store I found the solution. Easy as I am retired. Weekdays at no later than 8am. No lines, other like minded geezers, helpful, friendly not looking for drama. A whole different world than 8pm or weekends.

^^^what he said, but not the word 'geezers'. VERY few folks shop at my local Smith's before noon or noontime itself, for that matter. Business picks up in the afternoon with folks coming home from work. Recently remodeled this year to reflect the increase in shoplifting. All OTC meds and health care products now in a closed off area with a separate cashier around the clock. Individual bottled beverages in a 50' long cooler near the front door to offset teenage pilferage.

With little pedestrian traffic here, parking lots can be prime hunting grounds for muggers, especially those preying on the elderly. I find it helpful not looking like a Santa Claus wannabe.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[alwslate]

I shop at Meijer. Open 6am to midnight. park in the handicap spots near the door in the morning, no fear of muggers. I made the mistake of going at around 30 minutes to closing at midnight a couple of times. Never again, sickening displays of human nature and irresponsible parenting that I can't discuss on here without violating the rules. Gave me a bit more compassion for the store employees.

 

[twodog max]

My wife and I make our weekly grocery run often before 7:30am. Few people in the store, Wal Mart, except for the rude employees filling pickup orders. We get the same friendly checker almost each week. She is very nice and helpful. Like the days of old but I am certain at some point WM will see fit to phase her out.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

I did what I could but will always feel like I could've done more in hindsight. What really irked me is the numerous people in the area that appeared to do nothing. However, many of them had children with them.

This and what Onomea wrote.

As the holidays approach, expect a LOT more of this especially with the legal system and LEO response these days.

From what was described, this was possibly a homeless individual...either strung out or a mental case or both.

Sometimes all you can do is be a good witness and that is it. To do anyhting else puts you at risk both safetywise, criminally, and civilly. The system will not deal with these people and jail means three hots and a cot and a lot of courts believe that these kinds of folks are "being oppressed".

I haven't ran into a homeless person yet that did not have a weapon of some sort...ususally a shank, box cutter, or gas station knife on them.

 

[steelslaver]

I have noticed that lots of younger women put their grocery shopping off as long as possible and end up doing it on Sunday evenings, which is when I also like to do my shopping.

 

[ladder13]

Automobile glass sales are booming.

 

[Bekeart]

Demolition Derby at Walmart

My wife and I make our weekly grocery run often before 7:30am. Few people in the store, Wal Mart, except for the rude employees filling pickup orders. We get the same friendly checker almost each week. She is very nice and helpful. Like the days of old but I am certain at some point WM will see fit to phase her out.

except for the rude employees filling pickup orders.

Demolition Derby at Walmart

 

[glenwolde]

This is why I do pickup or delivery. Except for produce.

 

[03hemi]

I love spending $180 dollars on $40 dollars worth of food, makes me feel special.

 

[fleabus101]

I know what you mean 03hemi.
I'm paying over 21-22 bucks now for just about 3 lbs of hamb meat. Over twice than pre current Pres..mess. Eggs over twice as much or more. Pretty much every food item is twice or more than 3 yrs ago.
I'm missing the Pulpwood Hitter in the WH a lot.

 

[tinkerer]

What The Last Standing Knight said.

Would doubt it worth possibly ruining your life.

Unless you were attacked.

Then fight like the last monkey trying to get on the ark...

 

[Smoke]

This is why I do pickup or delivery. Except for produce.

The only thing I actually go to Walmart to buy is fruit. I usually go look at the day old baked goods and if there's a manager special right inside the door I'll go look at that other than that, Walmart delivers.
FWIW today I got two packages of pita bread for a dollar each and two packages of 100 sheets of notebook paper for a dollar each

except for the rude employees filling pickup orders.

See this is just weird to me. Every time I've gone up to a Walmart employee and ask them where something was they dropped everything they were doing and walked me right to where it was at in the store. Even when I told them all I need is General directions I don't want you to stop what you're doing they still took me right to it.

With one exception, I don't think I've ever run into a rude employee at Walmart.

The exception doesn't count because she was somebody that I used to work security with and we hated each other anyway. That and the fact that I started our interaction by saying "Hey Twinky what's up?" So I kind of had that one coming

 

[coltle6920]

When shopping you should always try to park as close to the main entrance as possible because there's more pedestrian traffic. Not perfect but still the best idea. I was parked at the upper end of the lot so very few people walking by.

In today's World getting "involved" means recording things on your smartphone to post online. If the roles were reversed these same people would be screaming for help. Karma doesn't take sides in ones life.

 

[wood714]

When shopping you should always try to park as close to the main entrance as possible because there's more pedestrian traffic. Not perfect but still the best idea. I was parked at the upper end of the lot so very few people walking by.

In today's World getting "involved" means recording things on your smartphone to post online. If the roles were reversed these same people would be screaming for help. Karma doesn't take sides in ones life.

I park as far out as I can to avoid door dings. I never park next to anyone.

When Walmart was open 24 hours, I'd go around 2AM. I've found in my location the best time to go is around 7PM Monday thru Thursday.

 

[Bekeart]

Smoke missed the point of my comment.

except for the rude employees filling pickup orders.

Demolition Derby at Walmart

They approach at Crash Cart Speed with their huge cart showing little regard for any/all in their intended path. Practicing for a Demolition Derby.

Bekeart

 

[JcMack]

I go grocery shopping no later than 9:30a.m.. That pretty much secures me a spot in handicapped parking right in front of the door of the store. Problem is since early shopping is light there's usually only one real person checkout open. I welcomed when the stores opened self checkouts last year. Most other early shopping old farts avoid them. One of the 19yr old girls that monitors the self checkouts told me a drugged out homeless freak body slammed her to the cement floor mid day a couple weeks ago. No one came to her aid. I have no doubt a the creep was a Chicago transplant demoing his communication skills.

 

[coltle6920]

Demolition Derby at Walmart

They approach at Crash Cart Speed with their huge cart showing little regard for any/all in their intended path. Practicing for a Demolition Derby.

Bekeart

Not disagreeing with you but...

Haven't had any issue with pickers at my store. I do know that when I used to pick up my orders they told me that they only had a certain amount of time to fill it hence the constant rotation of junior employees into that position. No excuse for their behavior but in your case we're talking about Walmart. Their customers are like a meandering herd of buffalo from the moment they get out of their cars. Just another day at the amusement park for them.

I complained to Corporate numerous times about the incorrect orders received and their system in general. I received several monetary credits from those complaints and eventually things got a lot better.

 

[Doug M.]

The only thing I would do differently is that I would call the first time I saw Mr. Scruffy failing to break the window. It was predictable that he would come try again, on that car or another.

As for the rest of the comments about people at the store and their stupid human tricks, those of us who have experience in the criminal justice system can tell you that contact with the human race has a good chance of being corrosive.

My wife does most of the shopping, and a good bit of that is using the drive up/pick up system. I do a bit, usually picking up pharmacy stuff after work. Head on a swivel, unwelcoming demeanor. We are right off a college campus and most of the shoppers are young and seemingly functional. It is a long time since I can recall having problems with fellow shoppers, and Ihnestly think that when we were still in Central Illinois.