AN ELDERLY WOMAN escaped prison but will never be allowed into a Walmart store again after she was caught trying to steal nearly a thousand dollars worth of merchandise last year.
A Central Florida judge issued an order banning her from Walmart in lieu of a harsher sentence last week.
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Winifred Jane Del Grosso, 79, filled her cart with food, clothing and dozens of other items at her local Walmart in The Villages on Dec. 23 — just two days before Christmas.
The total price of the items in her shopping cart was $891.80, Walmart officials said.
But Del Grosso only had about $80 in his pocket, police told local ABC affiliate WPDE.
So instead of heading to the checkout with her cart, she walked right past the cashiers and headed straight for the door.
Fraud prevention workers realized she hadn’t paid and stopped her before she could get far.
The police arrived to arrest the elderly woman and escort her to prison.
She “took merchandise from the store shelves, placed it in her cart and then attempted to leave the store without paying after going through all the outlets,” her arrest report said.
Employees had surveillance footage of the woman “walking the aisles of Walmart” as she worked to “completely fill her shopping cart,” the document said.
HOLIDAY SADNESS
Police said they believe Del Grosso committed the crime on purpose.
She “was at Walmart and chose to steal the items,” the report said.
Del Grosso told police he stole the items so he could enjoy a vacation with his family.
“The defendant reported that she stole the items for a Christmas celebration with her family,” police said.
Most of the items listed as stolen were food products, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
She spent less than four hours in jail before being released with robbery charges pending.
A UNIQUE DECISION
Instead of bringing charges against the 79-year-old, the judge overseeing her case issued a surprising ruling.
The judge told Del Grosso that she is prohibited from shopping at any Walmart for the rest of her life, according to Village News.
Del Grosso is originally from New York but currently lives in the Village of BonnyBrook.
The Villages is a popular retirement community in Central Florida made up of several neighborhoods designed to appeal to seniors.
Homes in the area include built-in accessibility characteristics and are a short drive from nearby medical services.
Many retirees flock to the region thanks to Florida’s sunny climate and low property taxes.
HOW COST IS SHRINK?
Retailers are losing billions due to “shrinkage,
Stores nationwide lost $112 billion as they shrank in 2022, according to research from National Retail Federation.
And the theft is occurring on multiple levels. The research found that 36% of losses were due to shoplifting and organized theft, 29% to employee theft, and 27% to tracking, accounting, or other errors.
But the downturn has not worsened over the past decade, research has shown.
Retailers in 2022 said the downturn affected 1.6% of sales, similar to recent years. The value of stolen goods may have increased, but so did overall sales.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
