Michigan Judge Sentences Walmart Shoplifters to Wash Parking Lot Cars
By Ed White
FILE - Shoppers head into and out of a Walmart store, Feb. 7, 2025, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, FILE)
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters, ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring arrives.
Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart and rewards shoppers who could see higher prices, or possibly lose stores, if thefts continue. The car washes will be free.
“I don't think everybody that steals is a bad person. Sometimes people are just down on their luck,” said Clothier, who was recently elected to Genesee County District Court. “But there's going to be consequences when you break the law.”
Clothier told The Associated Press that he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for misdemeanor shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township, 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Detroit. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars at weekend events at that location in March and April.
The judge said Walmart is “on board” and will provide water and supplies. The company's Arkansas headquarters didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday.
Clothier said he was shocked to see the breadth of retail thefts when he joined the bench in January, adding that offenders were from all over Michigan and outside the state.
“It's just crazy,” he said, noting he had 48 such cases on his docket one day.
“I think it will be humiliating to be out there washing cars if you see someone you know,” Clothier said.
Walmart designated a parking space for police because of frequent calls about thefts, township Supervisor Scott Bennett said.
“It's an innovative approach,” county Prosecutor David Leyton said of the car washes. “Even if it deters one person, then there’s some success there.”
And shoplifters won't be the only people up to their elbows in suds.
“I will be there washing cars with them,” the judge said.
The former chief executive of Japanese beverage giant Suntory has acknowledged he was investigated on suspicion of possessing an illegal drug but has asserted his innocence despite resigning from his position.
Kellie Romack, Chief Digital Innovation Officer at ServiceNow, reveals the company’s latest announcement and how it’s shaping the future of work and tech.
Raina Moskowitz, CEO of The Knot Worldwide, unpacks the 2025 Global Wedding Report, from Gen Z trends to how Taylor Swift's wedding could reshape the industry.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
