Photo Credit:racineur via Flickr CC
A Chicago gay couple was recently detained at a Wal-mart store in Niles, MI after the store accused the couple of shoplifting BIC lighters.
Joe Paolucci, former general counsel for the real estate investment company owned by Chicago billionaire Sam Zell, was at the local Wal-mart with his partner Thomas Hitchcock and their 11-year old special-needs twin boys when the mishap occurred. Paolucci and Hitchcock were shopping at Wal-mart when Hitchcock purchased groceries at a checkout with a clerk while Paolucci purchased some sundry items, including the lighters at a self-checkout station.
As they exited the store, employees asked to verify the couples receipts accusing them of shoplifting the lighters and using the self-checkout lanes to bypass security. The Police were called and the couple was placed in the back of separate squad cars, Paolucci was handcuffed and their children were taken to a "detention room" by Wal-mart security.
45 minutes later, after the security team had reviewed the video tapes and determined that the lighters hadn't been shoplifted, they were read a statement by employees effectively banning them from the store chain for life for "being uncooperative." They were then reunited with their children who told them that while they were detained they were allegedly threatened by the team and that they had made 'disparaging remarks' about the couples lifestyle. They were instructed to leave the property immediately or be arrested for trespassing.
Why was this couple singled out? Was it because they were gay? Was it because they were gay and had children? They had to follow up with the local Sheriff's office numerous times to have them investigate the situation including trying to get them to interview the children to find out what happened when they were separated from their parents, but the local police force would not file criminal charges against Wal-Mart.
Surprisingly though, Wal-mart informed the couple, via legal representation, that they were seeking 10 times the retail price of the items the store "claims" were shoplifted - a whopping $158.40 to drop the matter.
Wait - that doesn't make sense, if Wal-mart left the couple go after reviewing the tapes why are they pursuing them further for $158 to drop the matter? Does that mean that even though Wal-mart let them go, they can still come after them?