A year after relaxing their policy on the prosecution of shoplifters, Wal-Mart is cracking down. They’re now recommending that first-time shoplifters 16 years or older be prosecuted (they previously reserved prosecution for ages18 and up). They’re also shortening the amount of time the store will wait for the offender’s parents to show up before calling the cops from 90 minutes to an hour. They have, however, retained the recommendation that first-time violatiors (regardless of age) be given little more than a slap on the wrist as long as the merchandise in question totalled less than $25. I guess that means that low-dollar items are still free at Wal-Mart if you haven’t been caught stealing there before.

[Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer via The Consumerist]