Walmart has a reputation for big stores and low prices. The company also has another, less fortunate reputation: Crime.
In 2016, Bloomberg published an article detailing just how common crime is at Walmart locations.
“Police reports from dozens of stores suggest the number of petty crimes committed on Walmart properties nationwide this year will be in the hundreds of thousands,” authors Shannon Pettypiece and David Voreacos wrote.
“More than 200 violent crimes, including attempted kidnappings and multiple stabbings, shootings, and murders, have occurred at the nation’s 4,500 Walmarts this year, or about one a day, according to an analysis of media reports,” the duo added. The article notes that this crime has exhausted local law enforcement, as Walmart’s sparse staffing may contribute to this higher incidence of crime.
Speaking to that higher crime rate, a 2014 study also found that “on average, counties with Walmart stores had higher violent and property crime rates compared to similarly situated counties without the presence of the retail store, and that this finding emerged even after controlling for robust predictors of crime such as disadvantage and residential stability.”
While Walmart may have implemented efforts in the years to increase its security, some say it is not enough. For example, earlier this year, ProPublica documented how the retailer has become a hub for gift card fraud, as “more than $1 billion in fraud losses were routed through the company’s financial systems between 2013 and 2022.”
“For roughly a decade, Walmart has resisted tougher enforcement while breaking promises to regulators and skimping on employee training,” authors Craig Silverman and Peter Elkind wrote.
A bizarre theft at a Walmart parking lot
Sometimes, Walmart shoppers can also fall victim to more mundane crimes, as TikTok user Alyssa (@alyssa_nicolee) recently learned.
In a video with over 2.8 million views as of Saturday, Alyssa claims that she was shopping at a Walmart location in Lake Elsinore, California, only to discover someone had taken an item from her car while she was in the store.
“Someone stole my black diamond license plate cover I just bought,” she says in disbelief.
Throughout the rest of the clip, Alyssa seems simply bewildered by the idea that someone would do this.
“Are you f***ing kidding me, dude?” she asks. “F*** you, Walmart. F*** you, Lake Elsinore, you sack of s*** people.”
@alyssa_nicolee 🤡
♬ original sound – Alyssa Nicole
Commenters say it’s common
In the comments section, many users claim they’ve fallen victim to similarly strange thefts.
“Had someone steal my registration sticker,” wrote a user. “Like bruh it has my vin on it.”
“Someone stole my plates but put my screws back lol,” added another.
“Someone stole my windshield wipers once,” shared a third.
“Someone stole both of my rear tail light covers on my car in 1996,” recounted a further TikToker. “I’m still not over it.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Walmart via its media contact form and Alyssa via email.
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