Michigan judge’s order for Walmart shoplifters to wash cars squashed by his boss

A Michigan judge sought to have Walmart shoplifters offer free car washes for their sentence, but the plan was overruled by a senior jurist.

Judge Jeffrey Clothier, who was elected to Genesee County’s 67th District Court in January, said requiring as many as 100 shoplifters caught stealing from a local Walmart to wash cars for free would serve the community and possibly discourage others from stealing from the retail giant.

Clothier said the plan for “Walmart Washes” that he came up with last month had the backing of store managers at the Walmart in Grand Blanc Township. Walmart headquarters in Arkansas supported the idea but said the car wash could not be offered on store property, so the judge believed he could just find an alternative location for the car wash, which he wanted to take place in the spring.

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“I don’t think everybody that steals is a bad person. Sometimes people are just down on their luck,” Clothier told The Associated Press at the time. “But there’s going to be consequences when you break the law.”

“I think it will be humiliating to be out there washing cars if you see someone you know,” he said. “I will be there washing cars with them.”

But Chief Judge William Crawford II has now overruled Clothier, saying the junior jurist should have first asked for approval from him and other court officials.

“This is especially true where the proposed alternative punishment deviates from the usual and accepted methods,” Crawford said in a statement Friday, adding: “‘Walmart Washes’ will not be taking place as reported.”

Clothier said he was upset by Crawford’s ruling, although he still wants to come up with new and unusual forms of punishment for the shoplifters.

“I’m frustrated,” Clothier said. “I’m still going to try to come up with a creative way to solve this problem.”

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“I had 37 new Walmart theft offenses two days ago. In the last month, it’s been well over 100,” he added.

Clothier said 20 to 30 judges across the state who heard about the car wash planned to join him and the shoplifters.

The judge said he is now ordering other types of community service in the Walmart shoplifting cases instead of car washes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.