Costco handled theft correctly

In regard April 5 letter, “Grocery grazing is, in fact, stealing”:

While the manager at Costco might have used the local laws as a reason to not act when a child of a Costco member ate some grapes from a container, the reality is that is just doesn’t make business sense to waste time over a few cents.

I have no idea what a manager at Costco makes, but surely a few grapes were not worth his time, let alone the ill will created by going after one of its members over a few grapes a child took without his parents’ consent.

Now, on top of all of that, the author of the initial letter is wasting more of Costco’s money by making its PR team track these letters. Really, what could this manager have done? Revoked the parents’ membership (costing Costco at least $50 a year plus its profit margin made from this member)? Or, prosecute this child, costing it even more money and ill will while wasting public resources paid for by tax dollars to call the police and then pay for the ensuing court time.

As a father and Costco member, I’m glad that the manager did the right thing and let the parents handle it.

Nathan Heber

Everett