CRIME
Walmart’s dangerous policy
I was at the customer service counter in Walmart in Surfside Beach around noon on Thursday Feb. 26 when a women came running into the store and up to the counter screaming that she had just been robbed by a man in the parking lot who was robbing several cars in the parking lot.
The Walmart employee picked up the phone and, instead of calling the Horry County police, immediately called and notified Walmart's own security people.
I was totally shocked. Several robberies had just been committed, and this women was giving the Walmart customer service person a great description, that he was wearing a bandana on his head and bright blue tennis shoes. Valuable time was loss because Walmart did not do the right thing and call the police immediately; they could have possibly caught him leaving the area had they been notified right away.
I questioned the customer service person why they did not call the police and was told it was not Walmart's policy to do so, but to call their own security people. I actually asked the victim why she didn't call the police herself instead of depending on Walmart and she told me he stole her cell phone so that is why she ran into the store looking for help.
I could not believe it. This women was just robbed in the Walmart parking lot and Walmart chose to deal with it themselves. The victim was still up at the customer service counter, visibly shaken, and no one from security had even come to talk to her when I left the store.
I did see two Walmart employees walking up and down parking aisles outside the store when I left, but I never saw a police car arrive during that time.
Walmart's policy needs to be changed. Horry County police should be called immediately for a robbery victim or a robbery in progress - and that should not be Walmart's choice to make.
Deb Luber
Myrtle Beach
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