Wegmans is a popular store, but like all stores, it has to deal with theft. You might be wondering how it handles shoplifters.
Wegmans often ban shoplifters, but it can also pursue them for damages, or press charges and take them to court. The store hasn’t published any official policy on how it deals with shoplifting, but all of these options are possibilities. If you’re caught shoplifting high-value items, you might end up in prison.
Let’s figure out more about how Wegmans handles shoplifting.
What’s The Wegmans Policy On Shoplifting?
There’s no official policy available to the public that tells you how Wegmans deals with shoplifting, unfortunately. Many stores don’t publish this sort of policy and will deal with shoplifters in different ways depending upon the circumstances. It’s important to be aware of this if you’re thinking of shoplifting from a Wegmans.
There are many possible outcomes. In most cases, the least serious penalty you will face if you’re caught shoplifting is a ban from the store. This might be a lifetime ban, or a ban for a certain period, depending on the situation and the manager involved.
Alternatively, you might receive a letter requiring you to pay damages to the company. This will usually be several times the value of the items that you stole. This is sometimes known as a civil demand letter. It will detail what happened and tell you how much you are required to pay.
If you receive one of these, you should speak to a lawyer before deciding how to handle it.
Alternatively, Wegmans may take shoplifters to court. If they decide to do this, they will file a report with the police and will follow up by saying that they wish to prosecute the individual.
This is often only done for high-value items because it can be expensive for the store – but they can do it for low-value items too.
All of these things are within company policy and are part of their strategies for tackling shoplifting.
Will Wegmans Staff Stop You From Shoplifting?
Although there is no published policy relating to this, it’s likely that Wegmans staff have been told not to confront shoplifters directly.
They might ask if they can help you or suggest that you take items to the checkout, but you probably won’t be directly accused of stealing, and you probably won’t be stopped if you try to leave after taking something.
For most stores, the risk of having staff members interfere with shoplifters is too great. The member of staff, the shoplifter, or a bystander could get hurt, and this might lead to legal problems.
It can also cause negative press. Shoppers who are wrongly accused (or can convincingly claim to be wrongly accused if the staff member has no proof) may attack the business and demand reparations. It can also cause a scene that upsets other shoppers and reduces the chances of them returning to the store in the future.
Overall, therefore, it’s generally considered better to let shoplifters steal items and then follow up with them by contacting the police or banning the individual from the store in the future.
Can You Still Be Prosecuted If Nobody Tried To Stop You?
Some people mistakenly think that if nobody has tried to stop them from taking things in the store or from leaving, they can’t be held responsible for the theft. However, that’s not true. Wegmans will have a minimum of 6 months to take action against you, and longer if the items you stole are of a higher value.
The statute of limitations depends upon the state you live in, but it tells you how long the store will have depending on the overall value of the theft.
The store will need to produce evidence that you stole something, but if they can do that, they can take you to court even months after the incident has passed, whether they spoke to you in the store or not. There is nothing to say that they must attempt to stop you from shoplifting if they wish to prosecute you.
If you have shoplifted something, it may be a good idea to speak to a lawyer, especially if you think you may have been seen.
The lawyer will be able to advise you on what action (if any) to take to minimize the risk of being in trouble for shoplifting.
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Could You Be Arrested For Stealing From A Wegmans?
If Wegmans staff call the police while you are in the store, you could be arrested for shoplifting, yes. The police may choose to question you or may arrest you. What happens next will depend upon a lot of different variables, as well as the laws of the state you live in, and the action that Wegmans wishes to take.
It’s important to note that you can also be given jail time if you shoplift from a Wegmans or any other store, regardless of the value of the goods you steal. Although the theft of low-value goods is usually classified as a misdemeanor (depending on your state), you could still face up to 12 months in prison.
Many people are surprised to learn that the penalties are so harsh for low-value thefts, but they are intended to act as a deterrent.
Although many people don’t go to prison for minor shoplifting, especially as a first offense, it’s important to be aware that this is a possibility.
If you are sent to prison, this will show up on your criminal record and could make it more difficult to make employment in the future.
You might also face fines, which could be significant, depending on how much you have stolen and the state that you live in.
What Happened To The Wegmans SCAN App?
The Wegmans SCAN app was introduced in the early pandemic years and was intended to help shoppers enjoy contactless shopping and to allow them to shop more efficiently.
Unfortunately, the app was withdrawn in 2022, because it prompted too much shoplifting and the store was experiencing significant losses.
The app was used by shoppers to scan items as they put them in their carts or bags. The shopper would then be able to pay when they had finished shopping, without needing to unload everything onto a conveyor belt or deal with a cashier.
Without much oversight, this made things very easy for shoplifters. It also led to shoppers accidentally stealing items when the app didn’t scan something properly, and the person using it failed to notice.
Wegmans did implement theft deterrents, like random checks and cameras, but many shoppers commented that these were ineffective and that the checks were not frequent enough to deter shoplifters from trying their luck.
The retailer’s efforts were not effective in stopping theft, and Wegmans withdrew the app in an effort to reduce shrinkage.
Conclusion
Wegmans has no public policy to explain how they deal with shoplifters, but they have plenty of options open to them, including sending civil demand letters or pressing charges against the individual.
In some cases, though, Wegmans will simply ban the shoplifter because this is less effort and costs less money than prosecution.
Reference Sources
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/wegmans-bans-man-for-life-suspected-of-shoplifting