Walmart assault
3:43 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, 2008
It happened at the southwest Walmart at 37th and Topeka.
"She got really close to me and kind of got me in the corner and that's when she went and grabbed my purse. Then she told me she had a gun," says robbery victim Renee Smith.
She said she had no choice but to give up the $60 left in her wallet to this stranger in the bathroom. Meanwhile, at least two people saw what happened and left, one of which Renee says worked there.
"If a Walmart employee was in there and she left to call security, where was security? Security was not in there to help me," she says.
We called Walmart corporate headquarters to get an answer about why security couldn't help. Walmart sent us an email saying, "We are working with the local authorities to assist them in catching those responsible for this. That's why, on a store-by-store basis, we carefully consider our security and crime prevention measures."
That will including beefing up officer patrols and enhancing security technology.
Renee later found out she wasn't the first victim. Two other women had just had their purses stolen. She says she is still shaken and angry about the robbery but says, "The most frustrating part about the incident was watching the woman walk right out the door while the security guard did nothing...Yeah, they just watched her walk out".
Renee says the robbery still haunts her.
"For a while I couldn't sleep. It just kept re-playing in my head over and over again," she says.
And Renee says she doubts she will shop there anytime soon.
"I'm not going to any bathroom, into any other Walmart. It's not worth the saving a few dollars to risk your life of something happening," Renee says.
Police were called to that Walmart 60 times from June first until today (July 8). The calls were for things like fights, robberies, assaults and domestic disputes.
There is a study from 2006 that specifically looked at crime at Walmart stores. That study is available at www.walmartcrimereport.com.
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Comments
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Jul. 8, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)lovewalmart (anonymous)
Are you kidding me?
Let me understand this. you want to blame walmart for you being unable to defend yourself in the bathroom?
I think it is easy to see who is at blame here, and yes walmart is part of it.
10% of this is walmarts fault because they dont have cops watching you pee
15% is your fault because you are not able to defend yourself but seems you did manage to prevent yourself from getting hurt by giving up the 60 bucks.
But don't you think we need to assign 75% of the blame to the person who robbed you?
Why would you write wal-mark head quarters? What did you expect them to say? They were not there...if you really think this is a problem then TAKE ACTION. do something. dont write letters, start a non-profit team of big chicks to hang out in wal-mart restrooms to ensure others do not fall into the same trap you did at local retailers.
Get a life lady. Life is hard. Things happen. Get over it.
I am sure wal-mart will miss your monthly welfair check.
Jul. 8, 2008 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)PeacefromDebbie (anonymous)
If Renee is the girl who was robbed the same night I was accosted in that bathroom (6/20/08 I think), then the security guard carries a portion of the blame himself. I was able to defend myself when the woman tried to shove me into a stall; I used a defensive move called Mandt and got away. The security guard REFUSED to go to the bathroom with me to make the woman leave. He called backup but did NOTHING himself. I was still trying to convince him to go to the bathroom to confront the woman when another woman came out to report the problem, then the attacker came out and walked right past us and the security guard. Even as we identified her, he wouldn't move. Right as she walked out of the store, the 3rd woman (Renee?) came out yelling that her money had been stolen. Frankly, if he had responded as a security guard should, that 3rd woman would never have been attacked nor had her money stolen. I've since learned that Walmart contracts with a security company so this man was not a Walmart employee. While I agree that the attacker is mostly to blame, security guards are paid to help protect us from such people, and to stand by and do nothing is unacceptable.
Jul. 8, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)stuck (anonymous)
To lovewalmart. It is simply good business to ensure that your customers shop in a safe environment. So you do whatever it takes to ensure safety. A businessman would not want to say that well, I have goods to sell, but you come to my shop at your own risk. Nope, he's not an idiot. Sure, stuff happens, but that doesn't mean that you just let it happen. Goodness, where did you learn that attitude? Maybe you work for Walmart, and if so, then your attitude explains the way the two customers (victims) here were treated. I will trust that upper management will not respond the same way, and it seems from the report that they didn't. That is in fact the problem with Walmart. There are the smart and wise educated folks at the top, who know that it's simply good business to ensure the safety of your customers. And then there are those who are sadly underpaid and don't care about the safety of customers.
Jul. 8, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)stuck (anonymous)
To lovewalmart again:
You told the victim to get over it. Actually, I appreciate the victim for telling her story! It makes folks like myself understsnd what's going on and it reminds me to be careful. Lovewalmart...you really need to get a life if the only thing you have to say about someone being victimized is that she should get over it. News stories tell us what is news! To Renee...I'm sorry about what happened to you. Thank you for reminding us to be careful. Lovewalmart... you get a life.
Jul. 9, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)annabeast (anonymous)
Hey lovewalmart:
You must be one of the stupidest people ever. Have you ever had a gun pointed at you? And you would "defend" yourself. Why don't you try to put yourself in a situation before you go off sounding like an idiot. Only abusers blame the victim and only weak people are victims and believe that crap. Walmart sucks, they treat their employees like crap and now it turns out they treat their customers no better. Even if the secruity guard couldn't "do" anything, a decent person would. What kind of "man" just lets women be assaulted and do nothing. Yeah the person who robbed her is obviously a piece of crap but you should be able to go into a restroom and at least feel safe. I don't know if you have children but I bet you won't be sending them into any restrooms by themselves. But who knows, you don't sound like the brightest crayon on the box. Why don't you think before you post something so hateful and stupid.
And also, for someone who sounds like they are on welfare, you think you would know how to spell it.
Jul. 9, 2008 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)robwelcher (Rob Welcher)
I'm not one of those people who think Wal*Mart (LOOK! I EVEN ADDED THE STAR!!!!) is a bad place...but this should have never happened and security should have stepped up...I also find it funny that what appears to be a Wal*Mart (LOOK! I DID IT AGAIN!!!!) employee would sign in as "lovewalmart" in order to pass some blame...funny stuff that.
Jul. 11, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)notTopeka (anonymous)
To the lady, and I use that term loosely, doing the robbing. Sitting around and reading this and laughing. You better do more than show your gun to my wife. She will give you the little pointy end of what is in hers. Think about that next time you go out for other people’s money. She shops at that Wal-Mart too.
A gun is not to kill people. It is to protect you from those that wish to harm you. Lady… think about getting armed. If you choose not to… so be it. If you do choose to… good for you.
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