Fear has become an overwhelming factor in the American life, so much so that we are willing to give up our rights for a feeling of security. Most of the population will associate this statement with the actions taken by our government after the atrocious acts of 9-11. The need for security after this was palpable. These actions were understandable (if not a bit overdone). However, I do not see this as the larger (and infinitely more annoying problem). For me the issue is with America’s largest retailer, WalMart, their Greeters (Door Nazis) and the door buzzer.

Anyone who has been in a WalMart in the past few years has seen, heard or experienced THE BUZZER, a “safety” device installed to prevent/deter shoplifters. In theory the device is only triggered if someone walks through the sensor with a product that has not been paid for. In practice, the buzzer is often triggered by items that have been paid for or that were on your person when you entered the store.

I’ll start with the later. You can actually trigger the device by walking into the store wearing certain types of steel-toed shoes or by having devices with batteries in them on your person. With the push for RDIF tags these instances are likely to increase as other retailers do not deactivate the devices in the same manner as WalMart does.

More annoying is the device going off after you’ve completed your purchases. For example, you have gone through one of the few check out lanes that are open and your products have slowly been scanned by an underpaid employee who then bags said item without properly deactivating the security tags. You go to exit the store and trigger the alarm. The normally non-moving door greeter is instantly by your side demanding to search your bags and in some instances your purse to verify you have not stolen anything.

At this point you have two choices. Stop and submit to the search or keep walking and risk the Door Nazi calling your local PD. Most people willingly submit to the search of their belongs simply because “it prevents theft.” I strongly disagree with this approach. At this point you have already stood in line, paid for your purchases and have a receipt in hand. At this point anything in your buggy is YOUR personal property, not that of WalMart. In other words, these Door Nazis are conducting illegal searches of YOUR property. There is no reasonable cause for suspicion of theft.

I strongly suggest refusing to allow these illegal searches of your property. A simple “This is my property. I’ve paid for it and have the receipt” is sufficient. Other responses might be “Do you have any evidence suggesting a theft has been committed” or “Read Your Constitution!” The reactions will vary from anger to confusion. Normally the older greeters will be angry because their order is not obeyed. The younger greeters either stand there watching in confusion or shrug their shoulders because it’s just not worth $8.50 an hour to pursue it. Do be aware that occasionally you will have a Door Nazi contact the local PD to track you down in the parking lot. At that point you may want to allow the search (and follow it by a call to a lawyer, suits against WalMart for this sort of thing have been won in the past).

Please understand that I am in no way condoning theft. I believe shoplifters should be prosecuted because they are committing a crime that is detrimental to society. However I do not believe in innocent people having to agree to a property search without reason because they made a purchase in a store. Retailers have cameras everywhere. They have physical security watching the store. In other words, there is no excuse for them to search someone simply because they made a purchase that activated a buzzer.