"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> blake murphy wrote:
> >
> >
> > >Now that you mention it, that was one of the things that first turned
me
> > >off WalMart, their having a "greeter" who wants to search your bags. I
> > >resent the assumption that I may be shoplifting. While they have
reason to
> > >be concerned about theft they have no right to search my things just
> > >because I am in the store. If they have seen me shove something in a
bag
> > >and walk out without paying for it that is a different matter, but they
> > >have no right to search without cause.
> >
> > incorrect. wal-mart is not the government; you have no fourth
> > amendment rights there.
>
> The Fourth Amendment doesn't apply to me because I am not in the US, but
> citizens cannot go around searching other citizens. In order to search
> someone, they need to have authority. The only people who have the
> authority work for the government. If a WalMart employee wants to search
> me or my bags he or she is going to have to make a citizen's arrest, and
> then they will run the risk of making an illegal arrest and that is more
> trouble than they need.
>
> > (of course, your fourth amendment rights are dwindling under the
> > government, but that's another story.)
>
> No argument there. :-(
>
> > do you think shoplifters have some kind of tattoos on their foreheads
> > that say 'search me, i'm a thief?'
>
> Of course not, but they need probable cause, and simply carrying a bag
> through their store does not constitute probable cause.
>
>
> > whether it's good business practice to search mild-mannered citizens
> > such as yourself is another question. but they most certainly have
> > the right to do so.
>
> They may have the right to search their employees, and I don't know US law
> well enough to make a qualified statement, but they do not have the right
> to do it here.

OK, I can relate.

Some years ago they had Coleman coolers on sale. So I went down to Wal-Mart
to pick one up. I am standing in line with my cooler, a long line too. The
greeter/nazi is a short and dumpy woman watching the crowd while wearing her
blue bib thingie. Anyway, she makes direct eye contact with me a couple of
times. The last time was while I was writing the check for the cooler. So
I start walking out and she pulls me aside and says "show me your receipt."
I look for it in my shirt pocket and pants pocket, no deal. I had
mindlessly stuffed it in my checkbook. But before I cold finish looking she
says loudly, "UH OH!" and at that second a door to the side BLEW open like
a bomb went off and 3 thuggish guys, also in blue bib thingies come FLYING
out like a SWAT team. It was like WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!! They practically
made a storm force wind flying out that door. They surround me and now the
greeter woman is standing like a cop with a grin on her face. I'm sure she
thought she was going to get a pat on the head for this one. At that
instant I pulled out my checkbook and lo and behold there was the receipt.
Greeter girl looked crushed, the 3 thugs meandered away and I left after
saying "better luck next time."

I never went back to that ******** ever again.

Paul