Posted on 10/14/2013 10:18:42 AM PDT by BulletBobCo
Edited on 10/14/2013 12:20:51 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Wal-Mart stores in Springhill and Mansfield, La., saw a stampede and a shelf-clearing rush Saturday after a computer glitch for food stamp recipients led to benefit cards allowing unlimited purchases.
Police were called as entire shelves were being cleared out, until the glitch was fixed and low-income residents using the cards were no longer allowed to make purchases.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.msn.com ...
I have to agree. Walmart probably made the quick decision to essentially write off most of their dairy, meat, snacks and pops to avoid the looting of the *entire* store and perhaps dangerous violence visited on their employees and other customers.
Having the prize roasts, frozen treats and bags of shredded cheese walk out the door is preferable to a complete free for all including electronics, clothes household items, toiletries and everything else besides.
Bet the fresh veggie department was pristine though. Untouched.
Probably. It's a tough situation to deal with at the store level but rest assured that these type events are factored into the margin equations.
I just work these keyboard things for a living.
In my other life, so do I. I actually went to work at Walmart in part to get out of my cube and spend some time in the real world again. I'm decreasingly enchanted with that decision.
You mean to tell me MooseChelle's people be disrespecting her nutrition guidance?
Within their sphere of concern, these people aren’t “dumb” per se, they are cunning and shrewd.
I’m betting someone knew they were low on their EBT and swiped it anyway, prepared to pay for the balance in another way, and it was approved.
Then she tried it again, then she phoned some friends & relatives, then they stampede began.
I’m certain you are correct.
Those Obamaphones are handy for spreading the word quickly.
i’ll stick up for wal mart on this one if a leech swipes his gimmie card on a 5000 dollar sale and the system ok’s it, its out of wal marts hands. i do think they need to dock future payments from the fine amish folks though, but that would be labeled racist.
Absolutely spot on. Correct to an uncomfortable extent. Especially the “cunning and shrewd” part.
I do understand that. I have a friend who was a cocktail waitress on weekends for just that reason. After listening to some of her stories, I decided it wise to just stay with my keyboard and make as much money with it as I can. I never liked jobs where I have to "face the public" because there are too many jerks out there, but unlike the jerks I know here, those people will assault you.
You are correct. Walmart does not run the EBT/SNAP program.
If lemonjello can buy 5000 bucks worth of food so be it. Jed Clampett is on the hook.
I can honestly say I’m one of those people who’s nosy about other people’s grocery carts. The only fruits/veg I can recall seeing in a black mom’s cart were apples and oranges. The occasional tomato or pepper. Never broccoli or cauliflower.
HOWEVER, around here most families get veg from someone in their family who invariably has a big garden and likes to garden. Most of the little old black people’s houses up and down my road has a plowed up section right this minute with the beginnings of a winter greens patch. Ditto most of the little old white people’s houses.
So it’s not clear why the veg department would be pristine.
Government money is free. Just ask any democrat.
It would have been something like that. It was means tested for sure.
A Scab is a Scab. It will never change.
From what I read in other articles, the system whcih told them how much was left on the card was down. It said that after it came up, they stopped one lady who had $700 in groceries, but only 49 cents on the card. The people using the cards knew they were breaking the law, but saw an opportunity to do some non-riot looting.
(sorry Ted, it had to be done)
Never was it this much fun
Everything looks good to me
My beady eyes see some frozen fries
And I just can't let them be
Well it's a free-for-all
And I heard it said
You take just what you want
The stakes are high and so am I
It's in the air toni-i-ight
We all are there with our
Cheshire grins I got eyes on free food
No stinkin’ card limits are in place
No tellin what I might do
Well looky here ain’t no gubmint sting
Food card magic's in my hand
When in doubt I whip it out
My cart total’s over a grand
It's a free-for-all
Ooh, baby
Ooh, I got ya
Aaaaaaa
Uh, one would hope that the government tracked which cards were used. Anyone who thinks there will be a consequence to the thieves, is living in a dream world.
Yup. I'd suspect that they would have been in a lot more trouble if they'd attempted to do anything to limit what was going on. I saw upthread that some folks were saying that Walmart should eat the loss. I fail to understand how that could be. If I overspend on my cards and can't pay it, the retailers don't take the bath, the card issuer does.
Also, I'd like to point out that the state knows the identity of every single person who stole this merchandise. Their cards should be cut off until they come in to make payment plans to pay for what they stole.
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