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Discussion » Questions » Legal » Have you ever been wrongfully stopped and falsely accused of shoplifting or stealing from a store?

Have you ever been wrongfully stopped and falsely accused of shoplifting or stealing from a store?

Posted - October 6, 2018

Responses


  • 7939
    Not in an outright way. For a while, I tried to not use plastic bags. I pulled out my own canvas bag in the produce department and used that. I was followed by a store employee more than once because of it- I’m sure they thought I was stealing. I actually quit using reusable bags because of that.
      October 6, 2018 12:00 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    Pretty sad. I take my own cloth bags to the store as well. It means we care about the environment, not thieves. 
      October 6, 2018 7:07 PM MDT
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  • 11102
    I have been a few times and it really bugs me because the first part of my life was spent as being one of the biggest crooks in Windsor Ontario the second part of my life was spent being an honest hard working man that also helps youth to not  get into a life of crime  I'm proud of the second part of my life so I don't like people accusing me of not being honest. Cheers and happy weekend! This post was edited by Nanoose at October 6, 2018 2:36 PM MDT
      October 6, 2018 12:03 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    Once.  When I got to the checkout counter at my local supermarket, after the cashier rung up my entire order, I was accused of having hidden a can of tuna  in my purse.  I was absolutely mortified as there were several people on line behind me.  I told them I did no such thing but the store manager insisted I did, so I dumped the entire contents of my purse onto the counter - no can of tuna came out - put everything back in my purse and told them to shove their groceries up their collective behinds.  Not even an apology from the store manager.  Never shopped there again.  
      October 6, 2018 12:28 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    That is awful. Something similar happened to me. I’ll share soon. 
      October 6, 2018 7:08 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    I was shopping at a Target one day on an off day from work. After I paid for my merchandise I headed towards the exit. All of a sudden two security guards and a loss prevention specialist came out of nowhere yelling at me and stopped me by blocking the exit. They claimed I concealed a CD in my pants. They wanted to pat me down. I untucked my shirt and expanded my waistband to prove I didn’t. I began to yell and cuss them out. That wasn’t smart, but I was p*****. 

    By that time a reaonable manager came over. She ordered security and loss prevention to move back. She politely spoke to me and asked why I was angry. I calmly explained the situation to her. I also informed her if I wa the type I had a legitimate lawsuit to file. She apologized and told me I was free to go. I first went to customer service to return everything and receive my money back. I haven’t stepped inside a Target since. 
     
      October 6, 2018 7:18 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    I can understand completely.  It's also very humiliating to have this happen in front of so many people.  
      October 6, 2018 11:25 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    It is humiliating when you’re treated like a thief when you’re innocent. 
      October 7, 2018 4:14 AM MDT
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  • "Yes, but not from a store ... from a house."  Pulled over and stopped for burglary.  Held at gun point while being I.D.ed and questioned.  Released with a speeding ticket ... (which is why they really stopped me ... they thought I was fleeing the crime scene.  I was just speeding.)
      October 6, 2018 2:38 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    Holy sardines, Alf. That had to be awful. 
      October 6, 2018 7:09 PM MDT
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  • I was a little worried about getting shot for speeding.  Funny thing is I didn't even know they were chasing me.  Everybody was stopping because of the sirens and so I stopped.  About a half mile away, here they come around the bend in hot pursuit of me!  It's the first time I'd seen them!  Anyway, when they got close they slammed-on their brakes and slid up close to me , sliding sideways, jumped out of the car and drew their guns ... pointing them at me!  I was excited. :)

    They started yelling, so loudly that I couldn't understand a word they were saying and I knew I was going to die!  You're an officer ... don't you guys realize that when you yell/scream that you're really hard to understand?????  Anyway ... I figured if I didn't do what they said ... which I couldn't understand, that I'd probably be shot.  IT WAS AN EXCITING MOMENT OR TWO!  :)) This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 7, 2018 8:24 AM MDT
      October 6, 2018 7:23 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    I don't know how you didn't have a panic attack from that. 
      October 6, 2018 7:33 PM MDT
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  • Ah well ... all part of life in the Los Angeles area, I guess.  After living in the LA area for a while, nothing really surprises you anymore. :)
      October 6, 2018 7:42 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    No offense, but now I understand. 
      October 6, 2018 7:45 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    not yet
      October 6, 2018 5:23 PM MDT
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  • 1713
    No, but I've been followed around and watched. It probably doesn't help that I often dress like a punk, but I didn't really care because all they were doing was wasting their time stalking me while a real thief was probably getting away with it.
      October 6, 2018 7:05 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover. I know people who work loss prevention. They see as more normal looking and middle aged-people stealing. 
      October 6, 2018 7:11 PM MDT
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  • 1713
    I've noticed that, too. It's usually the normal middle-aged people that go running out with an overflowing cart. The more sketchy looking thieves are the type to put little things in their pockets, but I don't care about those ones as much as the cretins stealing tons of large and expensive items.
      October 6, 2018 7:18 PM MDT
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  • 17592
    Never.  One time my girls and I finished watching a movie at the cinema and they wanted to sneak into another theatre.  I went along but after I was in there I couldn't do it so I went out to the ticket box to buy three tickets.  That man looked at me like I was from Mars.  He wouldn't take my money.  So I started back toward the theatre where the kids were and the manager stoppedc med and asked to seed my stub.  Oh dear God!!!  I didn't know what to say.  The guy in the ticket ran out and told thed manager he needed him right away.  I'm that person who would never get away with anything like that.  I don't even want to.  Wed have laughed about this 100 times since it happened.  I felt like a criminal.  

      October 6, 2018 7:38 PM MDT
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  • 13395
    I likely could have been. I found a nice pair of shorts somebody apparently tossed out,  just fitted me fine but had this little round plastic thing stuck to it that I couldn't remove,  I wore the shorts anyway because the color matched the shorts and wasn't too noticeable till someone noticed and asked me "why the heck...?"

    I guess if I had gone into a store like that it would have set off the alarm and I would have had some explaining to do.
      October 7, 2018 12:05 AM MDT
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