The story some of you have been waiting for.

[Feelslikeadream]

As I read some of your posts,I was amazed as the opinions of some of you.
I also think that the ones who have nothing but judgemental things to write and can do it so freely are sad. Some of the posts were so hurtful and rude....
but this is water over the bridge...all I asked was a question. I know what I am going to do about my trip, which I will defintely keep to myself.(Better safe than sorry.) Some of you were so understanding and gave me great advice ,thank you for that.


So this is the story some of you can't wait to read..... My main purpose for sending this is to have all of the future guests proceed with caution. I would hate to read that this happened to someone else.

She had been enjoying the last 9 days with her family at WDW. Having a very enjoyable time. Up until an affternoon she wishes she could erase. Shopping in one of the stores on Main Street with her family, looking for some last minute souviners, she came across a few gifts for friends back at home. A mug, 2 pins and a keychain. As she was shopping she had her 4 year old DS with her, trying to keep an eye on him and browse at the same time. At the same time her husband and 13 yr old daughter were in the same shop looking.
The DS hears and notices the family pardade so her darts out of the store and heads fo the street. Mom not knowing what to do puts the mug with the key chain and pins in the back of the unbrella stroller, with absoulte full intentions of returning inside and paying. As they were out side the DH and DD were finishing up their shopping. The DH not knowing that she had placed the mug in the back of the stroller goes through to cash out,pays for his purchases and leaves. Finally find his wife and mentions that he spent enough to go back and purchase the blanket for 15$ if you spend 50.00. She said go ahead it will come in handy as a x-mas gift. Still not thinking about the mug and pins ,the DH returns to the same store, with them in the back of the stroller. Well guess who he was met by at the store, security.Minutes later the police. He was accused of intentionally shop lifting. He offered to pay for the items and tried explaining what happened.NOT A CHANCE!! So his DD watched as her DAD was taken away to Orlando holding. After finally finding the Mom she was escorted out by the police. She had to bail her husband out of jail for 500$. With a return court date in Dec. We live in N.Y. She triedso hard to explain and offered endless times to pay for the stuff. They were told that WDW has 0 tolerance to shoplifting, if you are caught stealing a pencil, they will fully prosacute.

Some of you might believe that there is two sides to a story. But you will have to take my word for it. My dear friend lives for WDW she has since she was a small girl. There is nothing she would do to the place to ever rip it off or do harm by it. Nor would she ever put her children through something like this. Her poor 4 yr old thinks it was his fault.,because he wanted to see the parade.

So please be careful with your children in the stores at WDW. Mine have been guilty of holding things in their hands at walmart for example, with not paying any attention they just about take it. We have turned around a few times.

I am not sure of the responses that this will get. I am hoping it won't head in the same direction as the others.

This was just a heads up to be careful when you are in the stores with your children.

 

[blondeheroine]

So, the son put the stuff in the stroller or the mother? I wasn't clear about that part. Could be I'm tired and didn't read it correctly.

 

[Feelslikeadream]

The mother did because she was chasing her DS when he darted out to the street to see the parade. She had intended on going back inside,before she did the DH was already done. He did not know the stuff was in the back of the stroller. She said everything happened so fast,never realizing to tell her DH that the stuff was there.

 

[dogsmom]

I cannot believe that WDW did not give this family the benefit of the doubt. The way the stores on Main Street all run into each other you can be out one door and in the next, in seconds. This is very sad and I feel bad for them. I will keep them in my prayers and I definitely will be careful next month when we are at WDW.

 

[Hugpug]

This is very sad but keep in mine it is not just children we as adults sometimes do not remember when distracted by something else. I would have though that WDW would give them the benifit of the dought after hearing the whole story from all.

 

[granmaz]

I'm on edge the whole time in shops thinking I might look like I am shoplifting when looking at things. I never would by the way, but I feel guilty just looking!
I know they have to crack down, but it is a worry.

 

[pixiedancer]

they should have been given the benefit of the doubt. but that sounds like a very comon way to steal. why didnt she just put the items on the shelf. thats what disney was probably thinking. but they made an honest mistake and were going to pay for it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

My question is were you actually told this by one of the people directly involved? Or was this a "friend of a friend"? This was not really clear from the way it was written.

 

[Kristina]

So awful! I'm sorry for your friend and her family and I can't imagine how I would feel if this happened to me at Disney, a place that I love so much. I hope everything gets sorted out and that your friend and her family are able to put it behind them and still enjoy the parks one day.

 

[JPN4265]

In defense of WDW, I'm sure they hear the same story everytime they catch a shoplifter. Cut them some slack, they have a very tough job. I hope everything works out.

 

[Lindy Loo]

Wow, we also saw a guy getting stopped by security in a shop on main street. dont know what or if he had taken anything? ( He didnt have a stroller)

In universal we saw some English kids steal magnets ( we are English, by the way) they were told by the parents, they couldnt have them, but they took them anyway, the parents saw, but chose to ignore it. They took about 13 magnets. We told a worker, who shrugged his shoulders and said there wasnt much he could do. I was amazed!!! and very sad.

hope your friend sorts this out. If they have CCTv in the shop, can they ask for it to be viewed, to proove the son dashed out the shop etc ???

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I'm very sorry to here about this. I hope everything works out alright for this family. We all know that when you have tiny kids, things can happen with them in an instant. You can't barely blink you eye sometimes and things happen. Even though WDW heres stories like this all the time, they really should give this family the benefit of the doubt. After all, your first priority is your child and you really don't give a whole lot of thought to what else is happening around you when things happen with them.

 

[Muhlenberg]

I agree with the other poster, that is probably a very common way to steal. HOWEVER, I thought the police could look up whether you've had any other arrests/charges and whether or not it's been for the same thing. My heart goes out to ANYONE in this situation.

 

[#1MMFan]

Would have thought common sense would tell you that if someone were guilty of stealing from a store, they would be unlikely to try to re-enter with the "stolen" goods. Sometimes we have to realise that everything is not black and white, there are grey areas. JMHO.

 

[orljustin]

Mom not knowing what to do puts the mug with the key chain and pins in the back of the unbrella stroller, with absoulte full intentions of returning inside and paying.

Weird story.

In the back of an umbrella stroller ? Where in the back of an umbrella stroller? Umbrella strollers don't have a back. I had one that had a bag that hung from the back though. I would never go to the effort of putting a bunch of unpaid stuff inside a bag like that.

Maybe you could clarify that.

 

[tkd lisa]

I had an umbrella stroller that had a storage area, and that's probably what the person was referring to.

I can see how something like this could happen, and I'm very sorry for the family.

 

[MELSMICE]

While I believe that WDW should have given your friend the benefit of the doubt, as someone else mentioned, this is probably a common way for people to shoplift. I'm sure they've heard the same story many times over.

Did you say you were on the trip with this friend? I hope all works out for them.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Sad story, I could see myself doing this. Accidents happen..

 

[welovedis]

I have no clue what you are referring to in the first part of your post or what it has to do with what you just posted?

However, reading the story I wondered, also, if this is a "friend of a friend" story #1, and also why she couldn't have taken the 2 seconds it took to put it into her stroller & just plunk it down on the shelf, or whatever she was near. I know that most every store down Main Street is loaded with stuff so I'm not clear why she could put it into her stroller but not down on her way out the door?

And also I've seen people escorted away by Disney security and they really do it very discretely, I honestly doubt that his DD watched him being led away by police and the mom was no where around? You said "After finally finding the Mom she was escorted out by the police. She had to bail her husband out of jail for 500$. With a return court date in Dec. We live in N.Y.". Is this your family or someone else's?

 

[Cass]

I am confident anyone over the age of 10 knows they should not leave a store with unpaid goods.

This may well have been a misunderstanding, but people have to take responsibilities for their mistakes. Hopefully the court appearance will go well and the charge will be dropped. This is a valuable lesson for everyone reading this thread - what can happen to you even at the happiest place on Earth.