Arizona man banned from Walmart for life
Dec 10, 2013, 2:16 PM | Updated: 9:47 pm
PHOENIX — An Arizona man has been banned from Walmart for life after some confusion over price matching.
Joe Cantrell was banned from the big-box retailer after an employee said they felt threatened by Cantrell.
According to ABC15.com, Cantrell started price matching at Walmart to save money. He’s a former professional wrestler and the sport took a toll on his body, so he can longer perform.
During a recent trip to Walmart, Cantrell was informed he was not allowed to price match. He complained to management and left the store.
A few days later, he was met at the door by three Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who arrested him for trespassing.
“If I would have known that (I was trespassing), I would have never set foot on Walmart property,” Cantrell told News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Mac & Gaydos.
Kayla Whaling, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said PCSO was called because the employee felt threatened.
“Unfortunately, in this situation our associate felt threatened and local law enforcement was contacted.”
After looking in to the case, the deputies decided to release Cantrell. However, he now faces charges of threatening, intimidation and disorderly conduct. Cantrell claims he was upset, but was never physically confrontational.
“I felt shamed. I felt like I was the bad guy. And I know I’m not a bad guy,” he said.
After the incident, Walmart informed Cantrell that he was banned for life through a letter. Cantrell signed the letter agreeing to the restriction, believing he would be taken away if he refused.
“I was under the impression that if I didn’t sign this, I was going to be taken straight to jail,” he said.
Cantrell has requested a copy of the security footage that showed the confrontation between him and the employee.
Cantrell said he was costing Walmart money because of his shopping habits, however a spokesperson for the company said the issue was more about safety than anything else.
“This situation was about the safety of our associate and not our ad match policy,” Walmart Manager of Media Relations Kayla Whaling said. “We make every effort to make sure our customers have a good experience in our stores. Unfortunately, in this situation, our associate felt threatened and local law enforcement was contacted.
“We are continuing to cooperate with law enforcement on their investigation.”
KTAR’s Martha Maurer contributed to this report.
