Comments for 82-Year-Old Receipt Checker Chases Thief

82-Year-Old Receipt Checker Chases Thief

2009-11-19T20:51:08Z

This security footage from a BJ's Wholesale in Florida shows a man trying to steal two computers, and the store's elderly greeter/receipt-checker giving chase. Almost all the good stuff happens off screen, so you'll have to imagine the awesome karate moves that probably ensued. It's retail crime fighting in action!

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It's also stupid crime fighting, because receipt checkers shouldn't chase after thieves, suspected or blatant. The employee was pushed down and suffered a broken rib and scratches, reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The thief did drop the computers, however, and luckily nothing worse happened.

"Parkland store's greeter foils shoplifter" [SunSentinel.com] (Thanks to David!)

Comment from DragonThermo on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:24Z

@Ronin-Democrat: South Park did it! I think it was the "Chicken Lover" episode when Cartman was deputized. He cruised around town on his Big Wheel with a blue light on the front, pulling people over for traffic offences and demanding they "respect mah authoritah!"

Comment from DragonThermo on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:24Z

Florida is a right-to-carry state. All you have to do is get the training and certification and pass a background check and you can get a concealed weapons permit. I seem to recall once upon a time it was legal to carry a sidearm as long as it was in clear view.

I don't think punks will be stealin' no 'puters if they thought Grandpa Receipt Checker or Grandma Greeter was packin' heat.

Comment from HogwartsAlum on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:23Z

@GitEmSteveDave_CanCommentz: "So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time."

OK this made me LOL. You're gonna get me in trouble!

Comment from ElizabethD on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:23Z

@GitEmSteveDave_CanCommentz:

Never mind the 82 year old. Tell us how you got past the shut-down commenting system yesterday!

Comment from Ronin-Democrat on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:21Z

Does the guy in the scooter have a cop light to pull the would be thief over?

Comment from gmxperry on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:21Z

@CaptainSemantics: Good point, never really thought about that. Animal instincts are a pain. But yeah, most people that would've done that would have absolutely been fired. As for me? I work at IKEA. If you can fit a Swedish table in your pocket, you can have it.

Comment from H3ion on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:20Z

Now if the receipt checker had commandeered the motorized wheel chair, he might have caught the thief.

Comment from oh my jeezus on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:20Z

I thought it was the guy in the wheelchair before I watched the vid.

Comment from CaptainSemantics on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:20Z

@gmxperry: I have a funny feeling it's a fight/flight thing, and some part of brain just kicks into gear and we have little control over ourselves. But, yeah, if I had done this at my retail job, I would have been fired.

Comment from gmxperry on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:20Z

You know, I read a lot about these kinds of stories and I honestly gotta say... Why do these workers do this stuff? Is it really worth it? I mean, I get it, if you have pride in your job and you have contempt for a common criminal, it's all well and good, but quite frankly no retail job is worth risking your life or well-being for. If the douchebag wants to steal some computers, let him, his face is on security camera and he'll be picked up at some point.

I guess that's just me. Props to the folks who have the cajones to go after people, it just doesn't seem like it's worth it when you're armed with little more than a box cutter and a snappy vest...

Comment from ApupnamedShamus on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:19Z

Good thing he wasn't working at Walmart. Otherwise he would be an unemployed receipt checker. While I dislike the whole receipt checking idea on principle, this was a membership store, which you sign an agreement for receipt checking, so they do have more of a right to ask for one. And I have to give props to gramps for the effort.

Comment from GitEmSteveDave_CanCommentz on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:19Z

@yungjerry703: Dental Plan.

Comment from yungjerry703 on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:19Z

@GitEmSteveDave_CanCommentz: lisa needs braces!

Comment from CompyPaq on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:19Z

@GitEmSteveDave_WantzTaunTaunBag: You would make a good 82 year old.

And I guess I figure out how to comment. So YEAH!

Comment from GitEmSteveDave_WantzTaunTaunBag on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T22:31:19Z

Well, 82 year olds can't chase crooks like they used to, but they have their ways. One trick is to tell stories that don't go anywhere.

Now my story begins in 19-dickety-two. We had to say ‘dickety’ cause the Kaiser had stolen our word ‘twenty’. So I caught the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe. So I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Gimme five bees for a quarter, you'd say. Now where was I... oh yeah. The important thing was that I had an onion tied to my belt, which was the style at the time. You couldn't get white onions, because the Kaiser stole those as well, so the only thing you could get was those big yellow ones. The I chased that rascal to get them back, but gave up after dickety-six miles.