Goodwill Drops Theft Charges Against Teen Who Gave Discounts

[Hum]

A Goodwill store in Naples, Florida, 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.

 

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[Skin]

No matter what the teen thought, he was in the wrong. You can't just give people things that don't belong to you (or discount them). This smacks of entitled young people that feel that rules, laws, and basic morality don't apply when they feel their 'noble actions' override them.

 

Want to help folks? Take your check and give some or all to the poor, or work with the store managers to make some policy changes... don't steal, which is what was being done to the store.

[chrisj1968]

Skin, I'm NOT so quick to condemn a young guy who did something legitimately as offer discounts to the less fortunate. 

 

This is a matter of doing something good not nefarious. this has actually shown what the goodwill is about. Why would they drop charges? he basically outed the goodwill store in question.

 

good will is a charity, not a profit group... makes you wonder

[Hum]

Seems like a contradiction --- Good Will getting as much money as they can from the poor.

[+Matthew]

Seems like a contradiction --- Good Will getting as much money as they can from the poor.

I agree with you, they take what is free and sell at a ridiculous price to the poor.

[timster]

good will is a charity, not a profit group... makes you wonder

Goodwill Industries is a business, not a charity. Charities do not accept donations and then sell those donations for a massive profit.

 

The Salvation Army is a charity.

[Skin]

Skin, I'm NOT so quick to condemn a young guy who did something legitimately as offer discounts to the less fortunate. 

 

This is a matter of doing something good not nefarious. this has actually shown what the goodwill is about. Why would they drop charges? he basically outed the goodwill store in question.

 

good will is a charity, not a profit group... makes you wonder

 

No, this is a metter of theft, pure and simple. He didn't own the stuff he discounted and gave away. I don't care what the thoughts or motives behind his theft was, but it is still wrong.

 

Morality doesn't change based on what the circumstances are, nor what the intention of someone is, there are right and wrong. He did wrong.

 

They dropped the charges since it would be bad publicity for charging him, and he will also pay the store back... it was settled out of the courts.

[Xerino]

Here in Chico, we have atleast 10 different Thrift stores, and the 2 most expensive are The Salvation Armys "Elite Repeat" (which basically takes the really good name brand clothes and furniture and charges pretty close to retail, like they charge $75 for a pair of Nike Jordans that came in, or $500 for an antique couch) and the other is the Goodwill store that just opened 2 months ago. I went in there the thrid day they were open, and they were charging up to $10 for pants, and up to $100 for a decent pair of shoes, both Goodwill and the Salvation army are jokes, now the lesser known thrift stores here in town offer really good prices to the down and out, but these well known names take all the good donations from the lesser ones, and since they are considered "Non Profit" they could care less.

[Rohdekill]

Just how poor are these people that you would need a discount from a goodwill store?

[Growled Member]

Just how poor are these people that you would need a discount from a goodwill store?

 

The poor will never get a discount. They are not in the helping out business, but in the screwing others business.