Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) has a pretty bad reputation for attracting the its fair share of crazies. I recently came across a disturbing story about a man named Verdon Lamont Taylor who waltzed into a Pennsylvania Wal-Mart wearing nothing but his birthday suit to steal a pair of socks. He was later apprehended by police who were forced to taze his nearly naked physique (he decided to don the fruits of his labor) and is now sitting — quite uncomfortably most likely — in prison with a $50,000 bail.
As it turns out, odd stories about Wal-Mart are quite easy to come by. All you have to do is perform a simple Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) search and stories like this pop up. While Wal-Mart is still a great place to find groceries and other goods on the cheap — I must admit I have frequented the establishment myself and have been quite pleased — there�s no question that it has a terrible reputation for being a magnet for the unsavory.
Click through to see our round-up of five of the worst Wal-Mart headlines of late:
“Wal-Mart Kidnapping: Brittney Baxter Kicks and Screams Her Way Out of Abduction”
Seven-year old Brittney put up a mean fight in a Georgia Wal-Mart when 25-year-old Andrew Woods tried to kidnap her from the toy aisle. The Austell, Ga. native, who recently finished a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter, was caught using surveillance footage.
Source: Huffington Post
“Man arrested, accused of exposing self to kids at Wal-Mart”
Once again, surveillance tapes caught another formerly convicted man accused of harming a minor. This time, 28-year-old Robert Walyus was accused of exposing himself in a Florida Wal-Mart. The convicted sex offender flashed two children in the toy aisle and asked the children if he could touch them. This is not the first case of sexual misconduct Walyus has had with a minor in a public place.
Source: WFTV.com 9
“Wal-Mart reopens after brawl, pistol whipping”
Another Florida Wal-Mart became an unsafe place for unsuspecting customers when, in Orlando, a 42-year-old man was shoved and punched by two younger assailants during a run to pick up a pack of razors. The story could have ended there, with the police being called to assist the older victim. However, this story has a twist — the two brawlers messed with the wrong person. After being knocked to the ground, the older gentleman reached into his holster, grabbed a pistol and used it to defend himself — laying a mighty thwacking on the hunter-turned-hunted.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
“Texas teenagers arrested after allegedly shooting women with darts in Wal-Mart parking lot”
The parking lot can be a vulnerable place for anybody, especially when your trunk is open and you�re lifting groceries into your minivan. Although many keep a sharp eye out for trouble, few could have expected a shot to the limbs — by a blow dart of all things. Two Texas women were the victims of just that. Luckily, the people responsible were apprehended. Now, three teens are charged with assault with a deadly weapon — one that nearly missed the face of an innocent shopper.
Source: Fox News
“Off-Duty Deputy Accused of Pulling Gun on Pregnant Couple”
The last of the most shocking stories I was able to find comes from Illinois, where an internal investigation was launched after Nicole Thurmond, who was one week from her due date at the time, had a gun brandished before her while in a Wal-Mart express lane. The man with the gun was off-duty deputy, Craig French, who, according to the account, was upset at the number of items Thurmond had in the express lane. Thurmond�s husband, Jason, soon came to her defense when he saw his wife being yelled at (he was in another aisle getting eggs when the altercation began). Jason claims he pushed the deputy away from his wife after seeing him making aggressive step towards him. This is when the gun was drawn and Jason was charged with misdemeanor battery. After the incident, the Thurmonds filed a formal complaint with the police department for their treatment and claimed that the deputy only identified himself as an officer after drawing his gun and after asking the couple if they were on welfare.
Source: NBC Chicago
– Andrew Lander, InvestorPlace @andrewlander
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