WaWa manager cracks down on theft

Joe Gallagher did not want to think of University students as common criminals. But an increase in the number of students shoplifting from the Wawa Food Market at 38th and Spruce Streets has left Gallagher, the store's general manager, with no recourse but to crack down on stealing. Gallagher said that although he contacted University Police after a few past incidents, he has generally refrained from calling the police to avoid getting students in serious trouble. Most of the time, Gallagher said, he will yell at the student and make them either pay or return the merchandise. In the future, however, he said he has instructed employees to notify University Police of every incident, to curb the "excessive amounts" of thefts that are "over industry standards." "We're not here to get anyone expelled," he said. "We have a business to run, though. We can't have people coming in here helping themselves. "I don't want to see this happen to [the students] but we can't have losses like that," Gallagher added, refusing to specify the amount of merchandise stolen. Yet Gallagher's plan may not prevent students from shoplifting. A College freshman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he steals once or twice a week from the convenience store and has no plans to cut back. "Everything is free past 2 [a.m.] on the weekends," the College freshman said. "I don't think it's hurting them considering the business [students are] giving them. It doesn't justify it, but it's not such a cruel thing to the Wawa owner." The College freshman said that he usually shoplifts a Snapple, a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza and a magazine on the weekend after drinking. He said that stealing is a more convenient option than waiting on the register lines. The College freshman added that the large crowds distract employees from preventing the shoplifting, and he has no fear of getting caught. "I wouldn't steal if I was at all nervous about [getting caught]," he said. "Every time I do steal I'm not going to get caught. If I see someone there watching, I'm not going to risk it."

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