Just let the Drag Queen go...

[Whyme]

Normally I'm all for stopping shoplifters, but when they get violent I say it's best just to let go. Here's why...

This actually happened early last week and it was all over and done with by the time I got to work. I think I'm putting this in the right folder, if it's not, mods please do with it what you will.

New assistant manager out to prove himself spies a drag queen stealing cosmetics. Tried to alert LP, but A.M. had to use walkie talkie to page CSM, who in turn had to page LP as LP does not have walkie talkie to hear A.M. call him. As it is, our LP is usually hiding from real work anyway and to this day I don't think anyone is clear as to where he was at the time since he never answered his page.

A.M. follows drag queen out the door and then stops him/her. D.Q. tries to sprint, A.M. grabs D.Q. and they go down. A wrestling match ensues. CSM calls 911 in the meanwhile. D.Q. begins biting and valiant A.M. holds on. Amazingly enough, the police show up in just a minute. Their response time usually isn't too good when it comes to Wallyworld so everyone was surprised. D.Q. arrested and the cosmetics are saved.

A.M. thinks nothing of bites...until one on his leg gets infected. Something about the A.M. being diabetic means he now faces possibility of having his leg amputated.

Please people, don't try to be a hero over some crappy make up. You could wind up with the possibility of losing one of your limbs.

Note: No offense to drag queens intended. These are just the facts.

[BookstoreEscapee]

It's so not worth it. My company's policy actually prohibits employees from going after shoplifters. It's all about deterrence through customer service. And unless you actually see the person pocket merchandise and leave the building, without losing sight of them any time in between, you are not allowed to accuse them of anything. And once they are out the door, you aren't allowed to stop them. Personally I think the safety of employees is more important than any merchandise that might walk out the door. I wouldn't be chasing down shoplifters and I wouldn't expect anyone, unless they were a trained security guard, to do it either. And most of the stores in my company don't have guards.

Though, my ex did once go out after a shoplifter and in the end the police recovered over $2000 worth of books they had accumulated over a number of trips.

[Foxglove8778]

A.M. thinks nothing of bites...until one on his leg gets infected.

thinks nothing of the bites? the human mouth is more disgusting than a dog's. Why didn't he go to the emergency room? Or did he?

I hope A.M. is okay in the long and short run.

[crazylegs]

As an ex security guard I will still step in and deal with shoplifters (as I did yesterday) but that may have something to do with my current job . However if you're not trained either in conflict management or some kind of self defence then your leaving yourself open to a can of whoop ass!

I am however all for people to folow whilst on a mobile (cell) phone whilst calling the police, win win situation.

[Whyme]

It's so not worth it. My company's policy actually prohibits employees from going after shoplifters.

Actually, that's our policy as well. The assistant managers are the only ones who don't follow it. I've seen another A.M. (we have about 5 of them) tackle a guy trying to get away on his ten speed. Got the guy's bike, shoe, all the meat he took plus a barbie doll he tried to steal. I was standing about 5 feet away from that one but sure as hell wasn't going to get involved. I called 911 and that was the extent of it. I was never even asked to write a statement.

I'm trying to remember who told me, but someone said never to mention our store 's policy on stopping shoplifters in front of them because one of them might sue the store.

thinks nothing of the bites? the human mouth is more disgusting than a dog's. Why didn't he go to the emergency room? Or did he?

I hope A.M. is okay in the long and short run.

I know he finally went to the doctor a few days ago when it started "looking bad". Since then he's been out, I assume to see if the infection gets better or not. Today the word came down about his leg. He just transferred to our store and due to his leg it looks like he might be out a long time.

[blas]

How did it get infected? What did that.....man....woman.....er Drag Queen have that made the bite so infectious it required amputation?

Kinda reminds me of Planet Terror in a way....

[Foxglove8778]

How did it get infected?

human bites often get infected... bacterial and viral infections are very possible the human mouth is disgusting, but not as bad as a komodo dragon....

diabetes and wounds are a dangerous combination.

[Raieth]

How did it get infected? What did that.....man....woman.....er Drag Queen have that made the bite so infectious it required amputation?

Kinda reminds me of Planet Terror in a way....

The human mouth is one of the dirtiest among mammals. There are few that are worse. Right after your dog licks his butt? Nope still not as dirty as ours.

She said that the AM was diabetic. They tend to have poor circulation in the limbs. If the wound gets infected, (if it's human it WILL get infected) it will cut off the circulation even more. Thus the limb receives no blood and dies. Gangrene can damage living tissue as well. The only way to stop the spread is to cut it off. So unless the doctors manage to stop the infection soon there is a VERY good chance he will lose the leg.

The lesson here is ALWAYS go to the hospital for human bites that break the skin.

[BiscuitMunroe]

Ok, just so I can fully appreciate this story, was the Queen actually IN drag when this went down?

[MiloMorai]

Back in the early 80's when my dad was a supervisor for PayLess Drugs NW he told me about a shoplifter he chased down. I'm still surprised he didn't take her down even tho she pulled a knife. He's a black belt in shotokan karate. He didn't want to even take the chance of getting hurt and I can't blame him for that but there are moves for dealing with blades. I guess getting cut for a $4 item would be a bit out of balance.



True story, being silly with my interpretation of his actions just cuz I can. He's my dad after all.

[Nakajo]

He's a black belt in shotokan karate.

He and my boyfriend should get together. You're the first person outside of him that I've heard being trained in Shotokan! My boy's a 2nd dan black belt!

Yay, not a dead art!

Okay, done nerding out.

[Seshat]

If the wound gets infected, (if it's human it WILL get infected) it will cut off the circulation even more. Thus the limb receives no blood and dies. Gangrene can damage living tissue as well. The only way to stop the spread is to cut it off. So unless the doctors manage to stop the infection soon there is a VERY good chance he will lose the leg.

There are tricks hospitals can do to attempt to remove gangrene before it spreads too far - but some of them are really ewww. One of the most effective involves maggots. Raised specifically for the purpose, but still - ewww.

[Whyme]

Ok, just so I can fully appreciate this story, was the Queen actually IN drag when this went down?

Yes. He/she's a regular actually. The sort that you can look at and say "okay, that's a man a drag" not "I wonder if that's a man or woman?" type. He's probably about 6 feet without the heels on, so putting on the shoes adds a few inches to his height therefore making him quite noticeable. I'm really surprised he decided to wrestle, he always has such a perfect manicure I didn't think he would want to do something to mess it up. I'm not being sarcastic either, he really does have great nails

Never had any problem with him before. Up till now he was one of the customers that was always polite and never gave us a hard time. Oh, well, another customer gone to the dark side.

[Peppergirl]

What is it with some drag queens and biting?

My dad is a retired firefighter and pulled a drag queen out of a burning car back in the 80's. I guess she was on drugs or something and freaked out and attempted to bite, kick and scratch him when he managed to get her out.

I was a kid at the time but I do remember thinking to myself, "Geez, if she's that bad when someone's trying to help, I wonder how she'd act if someone were being mean to her"

[Pagan]

How did it get infected? What did that.....man....woman.....er Drag Queen have that made the bite so infectious it required amputation?

Blas you really don't want to know what's living on your skin, either! And BTW, somewhere between 95%-99% of the dust in your house....is you!

Ok, just so I can fully appreciate this story, was the Queen actually IN drag when this went down?

I'm glad I'm not the only one that was wondering that!