Woman Forgets to Pay for Sandwiches, Gets Arrested, Welfare Services takes Child

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http://news.yahoo.com/pregnant-mom-says-sandwich-arrest-horrifying-214407004.html

HONOLULU (AP) — Nicole Leszczynski couldn't imagine that two chicken salad sandwiches would land her and her husband in jail and her 2-year-old daughter in state custody. But it happened five days ago, when the 30-weeks-pregnant woman forgot to pay for her snack while grocery shopping.
"It was the most ridiculous chain of events that happened," she said while sobbing Monday. "It's still hard to believe what happened."
Leszczynski, 28, and her husband Marcin, 33, were handcuffed, searched then released on $50 bail each. Their ordeal at the police station lasted a few hours, but their daughter Zofia spent the night away from her parents in a case that has sparked nationwide outrage and forced the Safeway supermarket chain to review the incident.
The family had moved to an apartment near downtown Honolulu from California two weeks ago. Still settling in, they ventured out Wednesday to stock up on groceries, took the bus, got lost, and ended up at a Safeway supermarket.
Famished, the former Air Force staff sergeant picked up the two sandwiches that together cost $5. She openly munched on one while they shopped, saving the wrapper to be scanned at the register later.
But they forgot to pay for the sandwiches as they checked out with about $50 worth of groceries.
"When the security guard questioned us, I was really embarrassed, I was horrified," she said. They were led upstairs, where the couple expected to get a lecture, pay for the sandwiches, and be allowed on their way.
But store managers wouldn't allow them to pay for the sandwiches, she said.
"I asked to talk to a manager and he said it was against their policy to pay for items that left the store," she said. "The security guard said we were being charged with shoplifting."
Four hours later, a police officer arrived and read them their rights. A woman from the state Child Welfare Services arrived to take Zofia away.
The pregnant mother said she tried to keep her composure until Zofia, who turns 3 in December, left the store. "I didn't want Zofia to be scared because she's never spent a night away from us. She didn't have her stuffed animal. She didn't have her toothbrush."
But as soon as her daughter left, "I got completely hysterical. I went to the bathroom and I threw up," she recalled.
A Honolulu police spokeswoman said it was procedure to call Child Welfare Services if a child is present when both parents are arrested. The store's management did not know the girl would be taken away, said Susan Houghton, a spokeswoman for California-based Safeway.
The national supermarket chain said it was looking into the incident. "It was never our intent to separate a mother from her child. That was a very unfortunate consequence to this situation," Houghton said. "We understand the outrage. We are concerned about how this was handled."
Leszczynski called the incident "so horrifying, it seemed to escalate and no one could say, 'this is too much.'"
The couple was handcuffed and driven separately to police headquarters a few blocks away, where they were searched, had their mug shots taken and then released after paying bail. A police officer escorted them back to the store — which banned them for a year, Leszczynski said — where they picked up their groceries and walked home just before midnight.
"We basically stared at each other all night. We woke up at the crack of dawn and called (the state child welfare office)," Leszczynski said. While they waited, Leszczynski vented about the experience on babycenter.com and contacted a lawyer for help with being reunited with Zofia. At the lawyer's suggestion, they took their story to the media.
Zofia was returned after an 18-hour separation from her parents.
The couple is charged with fourth-degree theft, a petty misdemeanor, and has a court date on Nov. 28, according to the city prosecutor's office. The family hasn't decided whether it will pursue legal action against Safeway.
Houghton said the company will review the police report and store security footage before deciding whether to press charges.
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Way to go safeway. Im sure a woman who is 7 months pregnant is a hardened criminal trying to weasel her way out of $5 worth of sandwiches when she already paid for all of her other groceries. They just dropped the ball on this one. And on top of that safeway's management "didnt know" that child services was going to take away their child. What were you expecting Safeway, you just pressed charges against both parents, where was she suppose to go, perhaps you were hoping to get her arrested as a co-conspirator?

I've had instances where both the cashier and I forgot that I had cases of water on the bottom rack of my cart and I didnt realize it until I started unloading into my trunk. I suppose that would justify the store to assume I'm purposely shoplifting, or perhaps its the more likely scenario where PEOPLE JUST FORGET SOMETIMES. (And for the record, I did in fact go back and pay for them)

I honestly hope that these people get a very large compensation from this tragedy. I put blame on management at this store, I can only assume the Police were following the complaints of the store. Did they even think this through before ruining the lives of these people. Has management at this store never experienced an event where BOTH the cashier and the customer forgets to ring up an item?
 
[quote name='Link927']http://news.yahoo.com/pregnant-mom-says-sandwich-arrest-horrifying-214407004.html

Way to go safeway. Im sure a woman who is 7 months pregnant is a hardened criminal trying to weasel her way out of $5 worth of sandwiches when she already paid for all of her other groceries. They just dropped the ball on this one. And on top of that safeway's management "didnt know" that child services was going to take away their child. What were you expecting Safeway, you just pressed charges against both parents, where was she suppose to go, perhaps you were hoping to get her arrested as a co-conspirator?

I've had instances where both the cashier and I forgot that I had cases of water on the bottom rack of my cart and I didnt realize it until I started unloading into my trunk. I suppose that would justify the store to assume I'm purposely shoplifting, or perhaps its the more likely scenario where PEOPLE JUST FORGET SOMETIMES. (And for the record, I did in fact go back and pay for them)

I honestly hope that these people get a very large compensation from this tragedy. I put blame on management at this store, I can only assume the Police were following the complaints of the store. Did they even think this through before ruining the lives of these people. Has management at this store never experienced an event where BOTH the cashier and the customer forgets to ring up an item?[/QUOTE]

This is certainly something that was completely idiotic by the management, but I don't see how or why the parents would get compensation. Technically, they didn't do anything wrong, the parents did.
 
[quote name='docvinh']This is certainly something that was completely idiotic by the management, but I don't see how or why the parents would get compensation. Technically, they didn't do anything wrong, the parents did.[/QUOTE]

True, you could say they were just following policy, but at the same time, they should have had some common sense before slapping them like that. I think what really gets me is that they added salt to their wounds, they banned them from the store. Personally, when you're "wronged" in a way, and I would consider this wronged, there should be compensation. Take an example where a restaurant forgets your order and it takes them an extra 20 min to prepare it. I expect at least an apology, sometimes they offer you a free desert or other compensation. In a way, I would expect the same courtesy from safeway, to give the customer the benefit of the doubt instead of automatically assuming they're criminal scum. So yes, I do think they should recieve some compensation.
 
This is a case of lowest common denominator. I say this all the time, especially when people want to bitch about cops, you guys have no idea what it is like to deal with stuff like this on a daily basis.

Common sense cant be applied when you make a rule that is focused on the worst of the worst. No one involved seemed be doing it out of spite but simply following the rules that were in place. Yeah it sucks for them how many times have the rule saved a kid from two deadbeat parents who were using them just to steal sandwiches?

If you bend even a little you will have every dead beat crackhead showing up with kids trying to get free stuff. This family should receive 0 compensation if they should be mad at how shitty people in society can be. Safeway should be nice though and offer some gift cards or something but they are not idiotic or in the wrong. They are just a business trying to cover their ass from the LCD.
 
Sounds like the homeless (crazy) lady I ran into at a fast food place... She had her daughter (don't ask me how that works) asking... well pointing to a note asking me for money. I gave them a dollar from my change to have them not bother me while waiting for my food. I'm surprised the manager didn't have a problem with them mooching for money right in front of their registers...
 
The strange thing with shoplifting is often it goes down just like this, someone pays for nearly everything but "accidentally" drops a small relatively cheap item in their pocket. Clearly they can't possibly be a shoplifter because after all they just paid $50 in groceries.

I'm not saying they are in fact shoplifters but with typical news articles it's impossible to tell the difference between oops I forgot to pay and the people who've already been in the store a couple times, pulled this stunt before and this time the store was waiting.

My wife used to work at a knicknack store that had adorable old ladies like this who would come in and spend $80 and "accidentally" pocket a $3 item, in that case the profit margin was so high that minor thievery by frequent clients was ignored.
 
Oh please, like you guys would trust someone whose name has that many consonants without vowels between them.
 
This is nuts. I understand bringing them upstairs to instill the seriousness of the situation. But to go through with it is kinda harsh. Most people crack under pressure. If they stuck by their story, Chances are it was an accident.
 
I'm amused by the shoplifting hardliners.

So Safeway hauls the parents upstairs, lectures them, and makes them pay for the chicken sandwiches (or doesn't - whatever), and then bans them from the store for a year. But somehow if they forgive the shoplifting charges, every crackhead family in the state will hear the siren call of free chicken sandwiches and come running?

That you have to take the couple's kid away for the night and throw them in the clink to avoid having other families try to steal chicken sandwiches?

Is that what you guys really think?
 
Is it seriously so hard to pay for something before consuming it? "Famished" or not. Pay first then eat and shop after. Then you don't forget.
 
[quote name='Ziv']Is it seriously so hard to pay for something before consuming it? "Famished" or not. Pay first then eat and shop after. Then you don't forget.[/QUOTE]

This. I've never actually eaten anything in a grocery store before I paid for it. Seems kind of odd to me.
 
[quote name='Link927']I honestly hope that these people get a very large compensation from this tragedy.[/QUOTE]


Yeah, those people should just sue the shit out of Safeway because they were too stupid to pay for something before consuming it in the store! :roll:
 
[quote name='Strell']Oh please, like you guys would trust someone whose name has that many consonants without vowels between them.[/QUOTE]

Oh how I have missed your zany comments in these types of threads.
 
Retail is a bitch because you want to be nice, but there's always that handful of jackasses that will fully exploit any goodwill you may throw out there. However, taking the hardline policy really was over the top, especially if they were willing and able to pay for their mea culpa.

Safeway probably will send a giftcard their way to cover their own asses.

On a side note, I couldn't help but think about the Carl's Jr. "You're a terrible mother" line from Idiocracy going into this thread.
 
[quote name='ced']Retail is a bitch because you want to be nice, but there's always that handful of jackasses that will fully exploit any goodwill you may throw out there.[/QUOTE]

I had a couple ethically challenged uncles who loved to do shit like this, they'd eat their way through the store. It was a big joke to them, they'd open a box of Twinkies and see how many they could jam in their mouths. When I got old and brave enough to say something, I remember one of them reasoning, "It's not shoplifting if you don't take it out the store."

As a result of crazy deadbeat loser uncles, I've developed a huge pet peeve about habitual grocery grazers. When I see them in the store, all of a sudden I experience that intense, psycho riot-cop mania, the kind that led to Kent State and a post-Rodney LA. I just want to take those shaqers down.

I'm not unreasonable about this. I can see somebody cracking open a bottle of water and taking a few sips, or maybe eating a couple grapes from a bunch. It's a different matter if you're consuming an entire product -- such a scarfing a whole sandwich -- and then saying, "Is that wrong? Should I not have done that?" with an empty wrapper you "saved" in the bottom of your cart.

Of course it's wrong, dipshit, that's why they wrap the sandwiches, so you can take them home. If they intended for them to be eaten in the store, they'd set out a goddamn tray with frilly toothpicks and chips in the center and a sign overhead that reads "SANDWICH CLUB MEETS TODAY."

Maybe they really did intend to pay, but I'd guess in 9 out of 10 cases that saved wrapper goes ignored and nobody pays for the delicious sandwiches inhaled while browsing the store. Bastards.
 
[quote name='Ziv']Is it seriously so hard to pay for something before consuming it? "Famished" or not. Pay first then eat and shop after. Then you don't forget.[/QUOTE]

The supermarkets around here encourage grazing while you shop (including Safeway). They put a red softdrink cupholder on the shopping carts with a message that says "Enjoy a refreshing coke while you shop!" I've been at line in a TJ's where someone says - 'are these cookies any good?' and the cashier opened them right up and says - 'lets try them'.

Long story short, it ain't that unusual and this still reads like an honest mistake to me. An honest mistake compounded by protocol overkill.
 
[quote name='camoor']The supermarkets around here encourage grazing while you shop (including Safeway). They put a red softdrink cupholder on the shopping carts with a message that says "Enjoy a refreshing coke while you shop!" I've been at line in a TJ's where someone says - 'are these cookies any good?' and the cashier opened them right up and says - 'lets try them'.

Long story short, it ain't that unusual and this still reads like an honest mistake to me. An honest mistake compounded by protocol overkill.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I've noticed that too at a few stores, not sure if the Safeway here does it. I think if this is their policy, they're firmly in the wrong here, because they're in essence encouraging this. I still feel strange about eating food I haven't paid for in a grocery store.:)
 
[quote name='camoor']Long story short, it ain't that unusual and this still reads like an honest mistake to me. An honest mistake compounded by protocol overkill.[/QUOTE]

I'd want to see the rap sheet on these perps before I go too far, but I'm guessing it was premeditated. 20 years of cop work gives you a second sense with these lowlifes.

Let's put out a call to all grocers in a 50 mile radius, find out if they've had any premade sandwiches gone missing lately. Maybe put the new kid on it, a little legwork goes a long way and it's time he learned it. Baker, you brew up another pot of coffee and this time don't burn the tits off it. Meanwhile me and Martinez are gonna chase down that anonymous call on the missing wrapper.

And, Baker, when the time comes, it's 2 sugars, no milk. Anything else and you can go back to wearing out those Florsheims in Frogtown.
 
[quote name='dothog']I'd want to see the rap sheet on these perps before I go too far, but I'm guessing it was premeditated. 20 years of cop work gives you a second sense with these lowlifes.

Let's put out a call to all grocers in a 50 mile radius, find out if they've had any premade sandwiches gone missing lately. Maybe put the new kid on it, a little legwork goes a long way and it's time he learned it. Baker, you brew up another pot of coffee and this time don't burn the tits off it. Meanwhile me and Martinez are gonna chase down that anonymous call on the missing wrapper.

And, Baker, when the time comes, it's 2 sugars, no milk. Anything else and you can go back to wearing out those Florsheims in Frogtown.[/QUOTE]

:)

I think we have some Hot Fuzz wannabes on this very thread
 
I've opened some Teddy Grams or something when the kids are hungry or something, but I've never eaten anything in store. I'm an adult. However I've never been 7 months preggers either, so take that with a grain of salt. I still think they should been allowed to pay and just said "oops" and that would be that.
 
[quote name='OnyxPrimal']I've opened some Teddy Grams or something when the kids are hungry or something, but I've never eaten anything in store. I'm an adult. However I've never been 7 months preggers either, so take that with a grain of salt. I still think they should been allowed to pay and just said "oops" and that would be that.[/QUOTE]

The most sensible thing I've read all thread.
 
Perhaps those stores are encouraging you to eat food that you've already paid for. Either way, it's a situation that's easy to avoid.
 
They should have paid for the sandwiches first, eaten them, then continued to shop.

The store should have let them pay & then let them go. If they wanted to ban them, fine.

I feel bad for their kid. She was probably freaking out the whole night.
 
[quote name='dothog']I'd want to see the rap sheet on these perps before I go too far, but I'm guessing it was premeditated. 20 years of cop work gives you a second sense with these lowlifes.

Let's put out a call to all grocers in a 50 mile radius, find out if they've had any premade sandwiches gone missing lately. Maybe put the new kid on it, a little legwork goes a long way and it's time he learned it. Baker, you brew up another pot of coffee and this time don't burn the tits off it. Meanwhile me and Martinez are gonna chase down that anonymous call on the missing wrapper.

And, Baker, when the time comes, it's 2 sugars, no milk. Anything else and you can go back to wearing out those Florsheims in Frogtown.[/QUOTE]
You've made this thread worth reading through, thank you. :D
 
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