Walk don’t run for today’s shoplifters

I stopped in a chain pharmacy the night of April 30 in northwest Fresno to purchase some items. While I was checking out, less than 10 feet from the front door, an alarm sounded and I turned to see a young man in a trench coat (it was 78 degrees outside) casually strolling out the front door.

The sound of this alarm had the desired effect of startling patrons and personnel, with the exception of this young man who most certainly had advance knowledge of what was coming. He never looked back.

You could say store employees responded quickly. They did so by reassuring each other to do nothing and continue working. Huh?

At this point I was swiping my credit card and wondering why I bothered to pay. I’m too old to run and apparently running from a crime is no longer necessary. I saw the thief walk across the parking lot and out of sight.

The world has certainly changed. It just seems to me that criminals should have the common decency to run from their misdeeds. I’m just old-fashioned that way.

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Walk don’t run for today’s shoplifters."