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Legislative News and Views - Rep. John Lesch (DFL)

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RELEASE: Minn. State Reps call out Walmart at press conference

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

St. Paul, Minn. – As part of a multi-faceted media campaign that is calling attention to the amount of shoplifting and other petty crimes that occur at Walmart stores, and the use of police resources to deal with the crime, Minnesota state representatives, along with Making Change at Walmart (MCAW) and other community supporters held a press conference at the State Capitol today.

Speakers included Rep. John Lesch (DFL – St. Paul), Rep. Mike Nelson (DFL – Brooklyn Park), Jennifer Christensen, president of UFCW Local 1189, Brooklyn Park citizen Linda Freemon and former St. Paul School Board member and community activist Tom Goldstein.

Rep. Lesch said today:

“This is something that I think Walmart should be addressing, but they have not. … Right here in Minnesota we have a tradition of ensuring that our public resources are shared fairly and equally, and right now, Walmart is consuming an inordinate share of those resources. … I’m hoping that with this initiative Walmart will start realizing that they cannot continue to consume those levels of police resources, that there are other area of the city that need to be addressed as well.

Tomorrow, MCAW and other supporters will be delivering the 2016 “Shoplifting Magnet of the Year” award to the St. Paul Walmart at 1450 University Avenue W (store #5437) at 11:00 a.m.

Making Change at Walmart’s campaign to call attention to shoplifting and other petty crimes at Walmart also includes a PSA-style TV ad that is running in the Twin Cities, as well as similar events in Tulsa, OK; Phoenix, AZ; Dallas, TX; and Tampa, FL.

BACKGROUND

“One retailer keeps Twin Cities cops most busy, and it's Walmart,” Minnesota Public Radio, 10/27/16