Man accused of taking diapers, wipes; strangers want to help pay, to prevent criminal charges

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A man in Florida could be facing criminal charges after police said he walked out of a Walmart without paying for items, but complete strangers have offered to pay the man’s tab to avoid him getting charged.

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Winter Haven Police are looking for the man who left a Winter Haven Walmart on Sept. 15.

They said he and two children were using the self-checkout lane around 4:30 p.m. when his card was declined several times while trying to pay for diapers and baby wipes, so he and the children left the store without the items, WFTS reported.

Police said he returned a short time later, without the children and tried to pay for the items with a different card, which was also declined.

He ended up leaving the store with the items, but without paying for them and police are now trying to locate the man, police said.

Walmart, according to the Winter Haven Police, has a zero-tolerance policy, so they want to have the man charged, WFTS reported.

But many people from all over the country are offering to buy the diapers and wipes so the man does not get charged.

Not all, however, think the man should get off without any punishment, saying there were other options to walking out without paying, either going to the customer service desk to sort it out, for example.

Some posts blamed Walmart for not having enough employees or forcing customers to use self-checkout lanes.

You can read all of the responses here.

WFTS reported that if someone cannot afford diapers and wipes, there are other options including the Central Florida Diaper Bank and the National Diaper Bank.

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