Goodwill Drops Theft Charges Against Teen Who Gave Customer Discounts

[aGameOfThrones]

A Goodwill store in Naples, Fla., reversed course today and decided to drop grand theft charges against a teen employee who had given discounts to poor customers.

The decision came four days after the store had fired Andrew Anderson, 19, and had him arrested for granting discounts that totaled $4,000. As recently as today, the store defended its actions saying the money could have been better used on Goodwill's other charitable projects.

Goodwill contacted ABC News this afternoon to say that the organization was dropping charges against Anderson.
"After completing our internal investigation we have determined that the individual's actions were not for personal gain, but rather for the benefit of others," the statement read.

Anderson said in an interview with WBBH TV earlier this week that he didn't know what he was doing was illegal. In fact, he says his actions mirrored what Goodwill stands for.

"I wasn't actually stealing," the teen told the Florida station. "Goodwill is a giving and helping company, so I took it upon to myself to be giving and helping because I feel people deserve it."

Anderson was arrested and jailed on Tuesday by Collier County police, but was bailed out for $5,000 the same day, according to police reports.

"The suspect advised us that he never received any money himself," Officer Chris Marotta of Collier County police said. "[He] was cooperative and apologetic. He admitted to the above actions and wishes to repay the store."

Before deciding to drop the charge against Anderson, the organization calculated that the teen cost the store $4,000.
"The thousands of dollars given away could have been used to fund our programs, including our school dedicated solely for youth with intellectual disabilities," the Goodwill statement read.

http://gma.yahoo.com/goodwill-drops-theft-charges-against-teen-gave-customer-214513630--abc-news-topstories.html

[2young2vote]

Goodwill is decent, but I have to question what these people so urgently needed that they required a discount in order to have it...especially considering there are salvation army stores all over the place which are generally cheaper.

It is actually depressing walking through these types of stores. Every time I go in (which is extremely rarely) i see these people FILLING their cart with absolute junk. Old telephones, random pots and pans with broken handles, and tons of other crap. I cant help but wonder A) are they actually going to use this stuff, B) why do they think they actually need this stuff and C) where the heck do these people get this kind of money to spend on junk when it is obvious that they aren't quite "all there"?

The Goodwill in my city atleast has a certain standard of quality for the things they sell, but my local Salvation Army store will put a price tag on anything and throw it on the shelf. They have just aisles an aisles of crap. Broken electronics strewn across the floor, coffee mugs with missing handles. Anything. And I have to wonder, do people really need discounts for this kind of stuff?

[oyarde]

Goodwill is decent, but I have to question what these people so urgently needed that they required a discount in order to have it...especially considering there are salvation army stores all over the place which are generally cheaper.

It is actually depressing walking through these types of stores. Every time I go in (which is extremely rarely) i see these people FILLING their cart with absolute junk. Old telephones, random pots and pans with broken handles, and tons of other crap. I cant help but wonder A) are they actually going to use this stuff, B) why do they think they actually need this stuff and C) where the heck do these people get this kind of money to spend on junk when it is obvious that they aren't quite "all there"?

The Goodwill in my city atleast has a certain standard of quality for the things they sell, but my local Salvation Army store will put a price tag on anything and throw it on the shelf. They have just aisles an aisles of crap. Broken electronics strewn across the floor, coffee mugs with missing handles. Anything. And I have to wonder, do people really need discounts for this kind of stuff?

Thankfully I havea great many coffee cups and the Mrs would just throw any away if I bought one without a handle.

[FloralScent]

Goodwill is decent, but I have to question what these people so urgently needed that they required a discount in order to have it...especially considering there are salvation army stores all over the place which are generally cheaper.

It is actually depressing walking through these types of stores. Every time I go in (which is extremely rarely) i see these people FILLING their cart with absolute junk. Old telephones, random pots and pans with broken handles, and tons of other crap. I cant help but wonder A) are they actually going to use this stuff, B) why do they think they actually need this stuff and C) where the heck do these people get this kind of money to spend on junk when it is obvious that they aren't quite "all there"?

The Goodwill in my city atleast has a certain standard of quality for the things they sell, but my local Salvation Army store will put a price tag on anything and throw it on the shelf. They have just aisles an aisles of crap. Broken electronics strewn across the floor, coffee mugs with missing handles. Anything. And I have to wonder, do people really need discounts for this kind of stuff?

I get all my work jeans at Goodwill/Salvation Army stores. I don't think I own a shirt that didn't come from one of these stores or that wasn't given to me by a female loved one.

[phill4paul]

Goodwill sucks. There are plenty of local charities that do the job better. Search around and you'll find them. That is unless Goodwill has not spent it's tax exempt coffers to suppress them. They pay their workers nothing (in some cases very close to it, see below) and get hundreds of thousands of man hours from community service recipients.


An American multi-national corporation, which accepts millions of dollars in government funds, pays its top executives more than half a million dollars per year in total compensation, while simultaneously paying some of its employees less than the federal minimum wage.

Some employees earn just 22 cents per hour.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hrabe/the-worst-corporation-in-_b_1876905.html

Now just to make clear, I think a corporation should be able to pay what it wishes. However, I don't have to support that business. Local charity for the win. And they'll even haggle over pricing. :)

[RockEnds]

I love shopping 2nd hand, but I don't do it at Goodwill. One man's junk is another man's treasure, but Goodwill is way too proud of other people's junk. We have a private 2nd hand store in our community. Their prices are really reasonable. In fact, they could probably double some of their prices and still be reasonable. That store is primarily where I shop 2nd hand, and it's exclusively where I donate.

[tod evans]

I love shopping 2nd hand, but I don't do it at Goodwill. One man's junk is another man's treasure, but Goodwill is way too proud of other people's junk. We have a private 2nd hand store in our community. Their prices are really reasonable. In fact, they could probably double some of their prices and still be reasonable. That store is primarily where I shop 2nd hand, and it's exclusively where I donate.

We donate to the local church, their "store" is free for anyone who needs whatever they have.

The selection is always better than either Goodwill or the Starvation Army..

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I wouldn't even shoplift from Goodwill.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I remember when some of these stores got all high and mighty. If something was a little more than slightly used, then they rejected it. We had a fairly decent couch when I was a kid. Called Salvation or Goodwill or one of 'em. Those pricks declined to take it because of a small tear. I told them to get the fuck out of my house. Okay, I didn't say that, but it was a waste of time waiting for them to show up.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Goodwill sucks. There are plenty of local charities that do the job better. Search around and you'll find them. That is unless Goodwill has not spent it's tax exempt coffers to suppress them. They pay their workers nothing (in some cases very close to it, see below) and get hundreds of thousands of man hours from community service recipients.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hrabe/the-worst-corporation-in-_b_1876905.html

Now just to make clear, I think a corporation should be able to pay what it wishes. However, I don't have to support that business. Local charity for the win. And they'll even haggle over pricing. :)Yeah, doesn't Goodwill's CEO makin millions each year an issue for so many that donate?

Go local charities where you have more control.

[69360]

Our goodwill store has a decent selection, price and quality. But they only pay $8 an hour and go through a lot of help because of that.

[ClydeCoulter]

Our goodwill store has a decent selection, price and quality. But they only pay $8 an hour and go through a lot of help because of that.

Not bad pay (in comparison) for a job that only requires rudimentary counting skills.

My wife makes $10.70/hr and teaches 8 rounds/groups (4 or 5 children per round/group) of "left behind" children of k-5 each day to get them up to speed with the rest of the children in their respective class. Of course, she'll be cut to 27 hours once the employer mandates kick back in.