Another Perp Walk

A few days ago, I saw someone else being escorted away by police. That makes two perp walks I've seen in less than a month (see November 15) -- if I can dignify the events with that term, which usually applies to high-profile white-collar criminals. It wasn't a frog-march, either, since it was too peaceful for that. In fact, it was such a quiet incident that I almost missed it.

I'd bought a small number of items at a grocery store not too far from home and the system had made a pricing error. I went to the customer service counter to get a small refund. Near the counter is the door to the store's office, and without warning the door opened and out came two cops, someone I took to be store management, and a small woman with dark hair, wearing a sweatsuit of some kind. But I didn't get much more of a look at her, because she was being taken out of the building by the cops, who were close at hand. Her hands were behind her back. In about 20 seconds, they were gone.

I should have known something was going on. A police car was parked outside, but I'd barely given it any thought. Another suburban shoplifting case, no doubt. Someone who couldn't pay? Or who didn't want to? First-timer or experienced thief who ran out of luck? Just the idle musings after seeing a perp walk.