Wtf is wrong with people? Arresting a kid for $1/ day of chicken snacks?
A Meijer supermarket in Seven Hills, Ohio had a 19-year-old special needs employee, James, arrested for eating approximately $110 worth of food over a three-month period. The food, mostly fruit cups and chicken from the deli counter where he worked, averaged about a dollar a day.
Instead of addressing the behavior directly, Meijer’s management monitored and documented James’ actions for months before involving police. A video shows the store manager explaining the alleged theft and James being handcuffed.
Meijer defended the decision, claiming they were being “thoughtful and deliberate,” but critics argue the company essentially targeted and built a case against a hungry, disabled teenager.
The incident sparked public backlash and a boycott campaign against Meijer. In response, Florida nurse Kerry Campbell launched a GoFundMe to support James’ legal defense and living expenses.
The case has been widely criticized as an example of corporate overreach, lack of compassion, and failure to support vulnerable employees
In the longer video, he told the cop that he had originally been paying for the food but stopped because standing in line to buy it took so long that he got written up for taking too long on his breaks.
https://boingboing.net/2025/08/20/meijer-arrests-special-needs-employee-for-eating-110-of-food.html