Walmart greeter, 83, robbed his own store after holding gun to co-worker's head
Tuesday, Mar 08 2011
Walmart greeter, 83, robbed his own store after holding gun to co-worker's head
By
Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:03 PM on 7th March 2011
Walmart greeters are expected to be a 'welcoming experience' for store customers, but it seems that was not the case at one store in North Carolina.
George Plane Junior, 83, robbed cash from another employee’s till after finishing his shift and going back into the garden centre with a gun, police said.
He allegedly put the gun to a fellow employee’s head and demanded they open a cash register before firing a shot in the air as he left with the money.
Led away: Walmart greeter George Plane Junior, 83, was arrested for allegedly holding a gun up to another employee and robbing cash from the store
When Plane finished his greeter shift in a Statesville store on Sunday evening, he went to his car to put on a disguise and walked back inside with a gun, police said.
Police responded to the scene and later arrested Plane, of Mooresville, after witnesses pointed them in the direction of his alleged car, reported WBTV.
One saw Plane leave the store and drove off following him, telling responding officers where he fled to, police said.
The car was found nearby and he allegedly surrendered after a brief stand off.
The money was returned to the Walmart store and Plane is being held in the Iredell County Detention Center under a $75,000 bond, police said.
He will appear in court next week on charges of armed robbery and discharging a firearm inside the city limits.
Drove off: Plane allegedly left the Walmart store in Statesville, North Carolina, and another witness followed him, telling responding officers where he fled to
Statesville Police Captain T.C. Souther told WCNC-TV he was surprised to learn Plane's age and said: ‘He appeared to be in good shape.’
Walmart greeters were launched by company founder Sam Walton after a staff member said they would help reduce shoplifting and improve customer experience.
Many are retired and elderly people, who also often help with other tasks such as ensuring the shopping trolleys are lined up ready and their surrounding area is clean.
A Walmart greeter was attacked in Ceres, California, in 2009, after he asked a couple, who were allegedly shoplifting, if he could see their receipt for a flat-screen television.