Elaine Gallaway’s Courageous Act Captivates the Community
Elaine Gallaway’s ordinary Walmart trip turned extraordinary when faced with a choice: let a criminal escape or take action herself.
In a captured video, a balaclava-clad man attempts to flee with a cart full of items. Darrell Johansen questions, “You gonna pay for that?” The man ignores him. Gallaway steps in, using her cart to block him. She saw him hide beef roasts in a backpack earlier. After her own purchases, she acted.
“He ran into me,” Gallaway recalls. “I said, ‘Show your face to the camera. Get out! You jack up prices for everyone.'” Despite her size and age, she stood firm. “I’m four foot eleven, seventy-three years old, and one hundred and twenty-five pounds. My gut instinct was, you’re not getting away.”
Security analyst Sean Smith commended Gallaway, noting Walmart’s susceptibility to theft. Social media hailed her a “hero.”
“She’s my hero,” an admirer posted. “As a retail manager, I understand.” Another wrote, “Consumers pay higher prices due to theft. Can we let them hold us hostage?”
Impressed shoppers echoed this sentiment. “It’s surprising, but I was impressed. Hire her as security.”
Gallaway’s journey began with dish soap shopping. She spotted the shoplifter, reported it, and left. Witnessing the escape, she confronted him—a courageous act that turned her into a local legend.
