Brandon Tamayo used to work as a store greeter for Walmart and has witnessed many mothers stealing expensive milk or diapers during his short stint at work. He revealed that he never attempted to stop these customers, given the cost of childcare products.
In a TikTok video, the former Walmart staff said that the employees don't exactly get rewards for catching shoppers stealing expensive milk or diapers. He also admitted that he did not care for Walmart's losses from shoplifters because he got paid just $11.50 an hour at that time.
Tamayo recounted that one of his jobs is to check receipts at the door, and he has seen mothers with no Pampers or baby formula in their receipts, but they have those items in their cart. He believes that the moms simply provide for their babies as raising children can get quite expensive.
@thatssoobrandon #stitch with @commlion #walmart #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound - That Guy
Debate Over Stealing Out of Necessity
Tamayo's revelation has gotten over 1.5 million views on TikTok and has drawn out reactions from both sides of a longstanding debate regarding stealing out of necessity. Some commenters praised Tamayo for being a hero for struggling parents and said that Walmart is a billion-dollar company that would hardly be affected by moms stealing expensive milk or diapers. Per Macrotrends, Walmart's profits increased by 7.33 percent in 2020 and 3.54 percent in 2021 to reach over $143 billion.
However, some of the commenters also did not agree with letting shoplifters go as stealing, regardless of a person's financial struggles, is still a crime. The commenters also said that plenty of government programs could help parents receive subsidies for those who cannot afford childcare products instead of stealing.
Tamayo argued in another TikTok post that it could be hard for parents to qualify for government programs in his state. He said that the food stamps program in Indiana does not provide enough for parents to afford a regular supply of baby products, given the cost of such products.
Mom Emily Castanon wrote in the comments that businesses like Walmart will always find a way to recoup their losses, such as raising the price of milk and diapers. As it stands, formula milk at Walmart now costs $44 for the big cans, while families spend around $70 to $80 a month for the diapers.
Although he has gotten some negative comments in his post, Tamayo said that at least it started a conversation regarding the cost of having a family in the U.S. Speaking exclusively with Daily Dot, Tamayo said that the public should vote for officials who will advocate for the American families.
Dad Wanted by Police for Stealing Expensive Milk or Diapers
In 2021, the Winter Haven Police Department in Florida faced backlash from its social media followers after posting a video of a father who stole milk, diapers, and baby wipes at Walmart. He attempted to pay with at least three declined credit cards but dashed off with the items when his transactions failed to push through.
Netizens criticized the police department for posting the video and tagging the father as a wanted man. Several commenters also offered to pay for the cost of what the dad stole and even said they would buy a year's worth of childcare products for his family.
But other netizens didn't agree with what the father did, according to Newsweek. One commenter said that he needs gas to get to work to buy food for his family, but he will not be OK with stealing "necessary" items.
Nonetheless, the police and Walmart did not pursue charges against the father who took the goods.
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