If you‘ve ever wondered how long Walmart stores keep their surveillance camera footage on file, you‘re not alone. With over 10,000 Walmart locations across the United States, the retail giant relies heavily on video security to protect its stores.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll give you the insider details on Walmart‘s video retention policies so you know exactly how long footage is accessible. We‘ll also provide tips if you need to obtain Walmart security video for legal reasons.
Let‘s dive in!
How Many Days Does Walmart Keep Security Footage?
Most Walmart stores retain CCTV surveillance recordings for 30-60 days on average. However, retention times can vary from 2 weeks up to 6 months or 1 year depending on the store.
According to our research, here are the typical video retention periods for different types of Walmart locations:
- Walmart Supercenters – 60-90 days, some keep footage for 6 months to 1 year
- Walmart Discount Stores – 30-60 days
- Walmart Neighborhood Markets – 14-30 days
Factors like store size, location, and local crime rates can impact how long footage is stored. Higher theft stores and Supercenter locations generally maintain video for longer periods.
Storing footage for at least a month allows asset protection and law enforcement to conduct investigations into incidents that may have occurred weeks earlier. It also helps identify repeat shoplifters or problem customers over a longer timeframe.
How Frequently Do Walmart Employees Review Footage?
Walmart does not have dedicated security staff monitoring live surveillance feeds 24/7 like a CCTV control room. However, asset protection teams do regularly audit both live and recorded footage.
Review typically occurs:
- When an incident is reported
- If an AI camera detects suspicious activity
- On a random basis to identify theft or safety issues
- To investigate refund fraud or inventory issues
So while the cameras aren‘t continuously watched in real-time, asset protection associates and management can remotely access the footage at any time. Video is more proactively utilized at higher-risk locations.
How Many Cameras Does a Typical Walmart Have?
To secure their extensive retail stores and perimeter areas, most Walmart locations utilize hundreds of surveillance cameras both inside and outside.
Here is an overview of where cameras are typically located:
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Inside the store – Almost every aisle and department has camera coverage, especially high-theft areas like electronics, alcohol, and self-checkout. Entrances, exits, and backrooms are also monitored.
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Parking Lots – Outdoor poles have cameras covering the full exterior perimeter, entrances, exits, and cart corrals. License plate recognition technology may also be used.
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Warehouse & Stock Rooms – Cameras watch supplier and employee access points. Valuable merchandise storage areas are monitored as well.
So between the sales floor, stockroom, checkout areas, offices, and exterior grounds, a single Supercenter can have 500+ total surveillance cameras installed. Smaller footprint stores may have 200-300 cameras.
Does Walmart Use Facial Recognition Software?
Yes, Walmart has implemented facial recognition capabilities in hundreds of their stores across the United States. This allows asset protection staff to flag known thieves or problem customers as they enter the store.
According to Walmart‘s corporate office, these systems do not autonomously ban individuals or make decisions without human review. The technology merely identifies potentially suspicious people for further investigation by store management.
By combining advanced facial recognition with their extensive surveillance camera networks and retail analytics programs, Walmart can better track problematic behaviors and prevent repeat offender issues.
However, consumer privacy advocates have raised concerns regarding the use of facial scanning features by retailers like Walmart without obtaining explicit consent.
Statistics on Walmart‘s Camera Surveillance Usage
To give you an idea of the scale of Walmart‘s security camera capabilities, here are some key statistics:
- Over 10,000 Walmart stores worldwide
- 500+ cameras at average Supercenters
- 200-300 cameras at smaller format stores
- 2+ million CCTV cameras company-wide
- Camera resolution up to 4K ultra HD quality
- 140+ million customers visit weekly
- Footage records 24/7/365
- 2 petabytes of data stored per day
- Camera systems monitor 70% of store sales floor
- Exterior coverage of 100% of parking areas
This extensive surveillance network provides Walmart loss prevention teams with extensive video evidence when needed. It allows them to go back in time and closely investigate activity over the past several weeks.
Can You Obtain and View Walmart Security Footage?
Unfortunately, members of the public cannot simply request to view Walmart security camera footage. The assets protection department controls all access.
However, Walmart does cooperate fully with law enforcement investigations and will release relevant footage to police upon official request.
If you need to obtain Walmart video evidence for legal reasons, here are some tips:
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File a detailed police report immediately after an incident at Walmart. Ask the investigating officer to formally request footage.
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Follow up frequently with the investigator until confirmation is received that video has been released. Legal delays can occur.
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Hire an attorney. Your lawyer can request footage by submitting a preservation letter to Walmart‘s legal team. This helps ensure evidence isn‘t deleted.
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Act quickly, ideally within 7-14 days. After 30 days, the relevant recordings may be automatically erased.
While the public cannot directly access or view surveillance footage, Walmart will share clips with law enforcement and release to attorneys if required for a legal case.
Preserving and Obtaining Footage for Court Cases
If you are the victim of a crime or accident at Walmart that may lead to legal action, taking proactive steps can help ensure video evidence is not lost.
Here are tips on preserving surveillance footage for court cases:
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Immediately write down the exact store location, date, and time of the incident. This makes pinpointing the right cameras easier.
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Formally request copies of footage in writing through an attorney. Follow up repeatedly to confirm preservation.
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File a police report within 1-2 days maximum and emphasize the need for video evidence collection.
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If pursuing a civil case, send Walmart‘s legal department a litigation hold letter requesting footage to be retained.
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Be persistent and act quickly. At 30-60 days, critical recordings could be permanently deleted.
Taking a proactive approach is key. Walmart tends to fully comply with relevant video evidence requests when proper legal protocols are followed.
Signage Alerting Customers of Surveillance
When visiting any Walmart store, look for signage like this alerting customers of security cameras in use:
[Insert image of Walmart camera warning sign]These notices inform shoppers that video and audio recording may occur on the premises for asset protection purposes. Signs are posted prominently at store entrances, restricted access areas, exit doors, and cart corrals.
Some additional facts about Walmart‘s surveillance practices:
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Cameras have zoom, infrared night vision, and megapixel recording capabilities.
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Video can be monitored remotely and on-site.
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Asset protection has 24/7 live remote access to camera feeds.
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Thousands of subpoenas are processed annually to assist police investigations.
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Audio recording may also occur in stores depending on local laws.
The Bottom Line
Most Walmart locations store CCTV camera footage for 30-60 days on average. Their asset protection teams utilize this video to assist internal and police investigations into theft, fraud, accidents, and other incidents.
If you need to legally obtain footage related to a case, promptly filing a detailed police report is key. Follow up diligently with investigators to ensure evidence is collected before it‘s erased.
While the public cannot directly view or request surveillance recordings, Walmart works cooperatively with law enforcement and attorneys to provide relevant clips as required.
So now you know exactly how long Walmart keeps security camera footage and how to go about accessing it if needed. With thousands of cameras company-wide, their video archives prove invaluable when investigating incidents weeks after the fact.
