Wisdom from the Bench

Judge orders shoplifters to wear 'I'm a thief' signs

Excerpt:

Shoppers entering a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Alabama got a reminder not to try anything funny: Two shoplifters stood outside with signs reading "I am a thief, I stole from Wal-Mart."

Attalla City Judge Kenneth Robertson Jr. ordered the two people to wear the signs for four hours each during two successive Saturdays.


"The only comments we've heard so far have been positive," said store manager Neil Hawkins. "Most of them thought it was a good thing."


One of the shoplifters, Lisa King Fithian, 46, wore the sign from 11am to 3pm to avoid a 60-day jail sentence. Another convicted shoplifter was at the store from 3pm to 7pm.



'Stocks' are from Colonial Williamsburg

Comment: It makes more sense to use 'shame' for petty theft than to waste taxpayers money to lock them up!