Let's make this simple, and help out the MVPD.

Canvas the California St. block between Shoreline Ave. and Showers Drive, and the general area around Latham/Escuela, and look for the cast-off cardboard box for the flat screen, and a van that matches the description provided by witnesses.

That should give you a good starting point...and see where it leads.

Go get'em, kids!

Brought to you by The Eye, a pro-bono, certified private investigator for those in need, for Mountain View.

While it is POSSIBLE that you may be right, it is not as likely as the person being from out of town. More often than not small time criminals like this hit stores that are in a different town from where they live. So more than likely that box is in a dumpster in Alviso or Fremont. The Mountain View hoodlums are more likely robbing a store in the east bay somewhere in kind.

Yeah, you could be right about that. Still, one thing that I'm having trouble believing is that TWO Walmart employees, who were BOTH right there at the scene, that followed this guy out to his minivan (and identified it as light blue) couldn't manage to get a license plate number? What's up with that?

What does it tell you when people need to steal wide screen TVs and video games. It tells me they are getting plenty of of subsidized housing and food from the govt and only now need to steal self-indulgent couch-potato items. I'd have more respect for someone stealing bread or milk to feed their family.

Its unbelievable how this thief just walked out of the store with the stolen merchandise and even took the time to load it up to his car and drive off and nobody stopped him...

The cops must have been sitting at Starbucks on El Monte enjoying their latte's.

I only wish I'd been there...as I carry a pocket vidcam every where I go, with what I do in investigative work. There's no way that license plate wouldn't be on video, with exported still shots of the driver, the plate and the van, too. I would have loved to see the guy try and take my camera, too.

Nah, at that point, I'd just be having waaay too much fun.

Eye.... you really think you are something special, aren't you?

WOW fear the eye! Oh yeah 11.50 an hour is really worth getting ran over. Instead of saying shoulda or woulda hero stories just go to starbucks with the MVPD and allow the security tapes and Wal-Mart loss prevention to figure it out.

Merry Christmas

The number one priority in a situation like this is employee, customer safety. That's why businesses have insurance. I don't care if you make $8/hr or $250K/Yr it is not worth going after someone like this.
I also didn't see any mention of going through the store's tape/cd recordings for a picture of the man. I'm sure that's being done and didn't need to be said.

Happy Soon-to-be New Year's to everyone!

Stay safe out there.