WASHINGTON — A man alleges a Walmart loss prevention officer falsely accused him of theft.
Thomas Allen Givens filed a complaint June 9 in the Washington County Court of Common Pleas against Walmart Stores Inc., alleging defamation, negligence and other claims. The store has since removed the case to federal court.
According to Givens' complaint, he was charged by the West Brownsville Police Department for an alleged retail theft at a Walmart Supercenter on Kendall Drive in Brownsville. Givens alleges that Walmart's loss prevention agent claimed he was at the Walmart store on May 13, 2021, and was seen on security footage putting several tools into blue cloth bags.
He further alleges that the loss prevention officer published his name and identified him as a criminal offender to the West Brownsville Police Department. Givens claims he was working on that day and was not present at the Walmart store.
He also claims he did not see the police report until after June 17, 2021, and never received a copy of the video surveillance despite filing a subpoena to obtain it. According to Givens' suit, the case against him was dismissed. Givens alleges he suffered defamation and alleges Walmart's negligence for falsely reporting his name to police which caused him to lose several job opportunities.
Givens seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Adam Yarussi of Adam Yarussi & Associates LLC in Washington.