In response to reader John Adams, who deplores the practice of taking
grocery carts from supermarkets ("There's no excuse for turning to
thievery," Jan. 2).
For five years, I fought a losing battle with police officials,
supermarket managers and homeowners' representatives in Pasadena, where I
own a condominium. In spite of repeated calls, complaints and lugging
wayward carts out of the building and onto the street for pickup,
neighbors continued to "borrow" shopping carts without permission (when
they could have bought one for $30 or less) or, like self-styled thief
James Brackett, steal them.
Last year, I confronted one supermarket manager, held up a Hershey bar
and said, "If I steal a 60-cent candy bar, you'll have me in handcuffs
before the ink is dry on the paper. But if I roll away a $200 grocery
cart, you won't stop me, will you?" "No," he answered.
In spite of the fact that there is a law on the books, the police pass
the buck to the markets. The markets pass the buck to the police. And
so-called "customers" (which the corporate office is loath to lose) take
carts with impunity.
If Mr. Adams or I attempted to make a citizen's arrest of Mr.
Brackett, in all probability the police would advise us not to press
charges ("Take it up with the market") or, if we did, the city attorney
would refuse to file the charges, leaving us with the likely prospect of
a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution.
And please don't tell us to get a life or stop being so mean-spirited.
Theft is theft. If you wouldn't dream of stealing a candy bar, you
wouldn't think of taking a shopping cart.
LES HAMMER
La Canada Flintridge
