We worried for Ashley this summer. Poor thing, it seemed like every time we visited Walmart there she was, steering her cart slowly down the aisles, listening to her iPod, like it was her job.
Turns out, it was her job. This summer Ashley, a rising senior at Longwood, helped her local Walmart catch shoplifters. She recently spoke with The Longwood Hole about her experience.
The Longwood Hole: First, what is the title of your job? How did you get hooked up with such an unusual/sweet gig? How many days a week do you typically work?
Ashley: The position is called Walmart Asset Protection Associate. I got into it when Mom told me about it. She’s in private investigation and saw this as an opportunity for herself, but got a better offer for another job, so I applied for the position instead.
I worked five days a week and forty hours. But the hours change from day to day because we have to have at least two people covering at all times. Also, depending on whether we were onto something, we could stay longer one day and shorter another. It all depended on whether we found someone to apprehend.
TLH: On average, how many people would you nab a day?
Ashley: Depends on the week and how busy the store is; you really couldn’t predict it. I’d get three one week and none the other then two here and one there. It was random. The most I got in one day was three.
TLH: How did you communicate with the security department when you caught someone?
Ashley: Um…I basically was the security department. I was the one to stop the shoplifters and put myself at risk. Once, I chased a woman down the parking lot and got her by the arm! I twisted it behind her and walked her back to the store.
TLH: Woah.
Ashley: I did have to have a manager present. I would call the store and have them page a manager to the front or, if I could avoid being seen, I’d use the walkie.
TLH: How many disguises did you wear? What was the most extravagant/fabulous disguise you wore?
Ashley: I don’t know…I had three wigs, two hairpieces, glasses, outfits, different make-up styles…there were too many to count. I also tried not to stick out too much…I don’t know what my most extravagant costume was…one day I went out as a full-out goth, dark eye-liner and black hair…the works.
TLH: Did you ever have any special music you played while you were stalking someone?
Ashley: No. I wasn’t allowed to listen to music. I used my ears as much as my eyes. Listening for packages opening and tags ripping off. But I had ear-buds in sometimes…but plugged into nothing.
TLH: That’s sly.
Ashley: I know!
TLH: What was the most unusual item you caught someone shoplifting?
Ashley: Glade Scented Plug-In Refills (Apple Cinnamon Scent)…that was all he stole. I was like WTF? Why? WHY????
TLH: Who was the most unusual person you caught shoplifting?
Ashley: Between the guy in the wheelchair….and the 55 year-old that reminded me of Ms. Ganush from “Drag Me to Hell.”
TLH: A guy in a wheelchair?
Ashley: I was like…OMG? Is he…? Is it wrong to stop him? NO! Cause he’s a thief! Crime doesn’t discriminate.
TLH: Have you learned any valuable skills you plan to utilize this semester at Longwood?
Ashley: Hmm…I wrote a lot of reports and I learned the importance of accuracy and detail. Plus following protocol. There were a bunch of rules and elements you had to obey to make a stop. And you had to be SURE of yourself. I also learned confidence in confronting people.
TLH: Were you ever in any situations where you were physically threatened? With a blade, perhaps?
Ashley: I was never ”threatened.” I got pushed down and had carts pushed at me and swatted at and things like that.
TLH: Have you ever shoplifted? If you saw someone shoplifting in Wal Mart now, would you alert security, out of habit?
Ashley: I once shoplifted candy when I was little. I got caught, though. That did it for me. If I caught someone now I would definitely alert Wal-Mart…it’s something of habit now because I even do that in other stores, like Roses. I know the numbers of the other APA’s and the managers. I wouldn’t hesitate to call.
TLH: One a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, how would you rate your experience?
Ashley: Ten. I loved the job.
