So what would you have done? Leaving a major chain drugstore, I had my path blocked by 2 employees

[zonkers]

who asked me to empty the contents of a reusable sack that had groceries from a shop I had done earlier. They had no interest in the bag of stuff I just bought from their store. Though I had stolen nothing, I refused to open the bag, turned of by their aggressive behavior. I told them to call the cops and walked outside where they surrounded me. One guy was big. We had more words and I walked off. I am kind of bummed because this is my neighborhood store. Oh well.

[emilyg]

1. I would have waited

for the cops. Then sued the hell out of them.

[zonkers]

3. Ah, le esprit de l'escalier.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

32. Shopkeepers Privilege would have applied

[NutmegYankee]

38. That privilege does not cover searches.

The request to empty the sack made it void at that moment.

[Mimosa]

39. Same as above.

That is a horrible thing to have happen to you. And scary, too.

[JVS]

I'd have pulled out my gun and defended myself!

;-)

[ddeclue]

5. And you'd end up dead - shot by the local SWAT team or yahoo Barney Fife

before you got to explain.

[DesertFlower]

2. that happened to me over 20 years ago

in a GNC store. i cooperated, but was pissed. i was well dressed and didn't look like a crook. i probably would have given them a hard time, but it was in the morning and i didn't want to be late for work.

[RoyGBiv]

16. Bit of a quibble ...

I worked in retail type establishments for nearly twenty years, most of those in smaller, convenience-type stores. As a manager, spotting thieves was a major part of the job. The corporate chain I worked for would fire entire staffs including the manager if inventory was off by too large a percentage. They never assumed the employees stole it; the assumption was that the employees and manager were not implementing appropriate theft control.

Anyway, you learn who to watch. The worst thieves in the place were young people, teenagers through early 20-somethings. But right after that were people wearing suits. When confronted, those that would own up to it without getting the cops involved tended to attempt to justify their behavior on a lack of time. "I would have paid for it later, but I'm late for work ..." or something along those lines. So-called "soccer moms" were horrible about this. They'd grab ice out of the ice box outside and just drive off with it. Sometimes they genuinely would come back and pay. Other times they "forgot."

Anyway, the point is that being well-dressed doesn't make you less likely to be a thief.

Want to know the worst risk for bounced checks? Preachers. Second worst is usually a person writing a check on some sort of business account.

[flamin lib]

18. +1 What you said! Been there and done that myself. nt

[WVRICK13]

33. I Have Owned Several Businesses

First rule was you had better be sure if you detained anyone for stealing. Second rule was to take care of the situation rapidly and without commotion. We had one customer who was a well respected member of the community and a thief (the wealthy call it kleptomania). Every time he came in he stole something, Our clerks watched him like a hawk, logged the items into an account and sent him a bill every month that he paid without question. It was like a game with him.

On the comment about preachers, it is so strange that our worst accounts were preachers and churches. They would charge huge amounts and then not pay until I pushed them into paying by filing in civil court. I made a rule, no accounts for churches or preachers, cash or charge cards only.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I might have asked to see the manager...

If I had my wits about me, that is.

I think generally it's a good idea not to take stuff in to a store from earlier shopping...

I'm sorry you experienced that...

[DesertFlower]

6. i didn't have anything from another store,

but i did have my lunch and some baggies filled with my days worth of vitamins.

it wasn't a sack, but a canvas bag that i called my "schlepp" bag.

[zonkers]

10. I think the manager was one of the guys. If they would have approached me with

without the physicality, I probably would have cooperated, dear Peg.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. I understand...

I would have thought that the manager would be more polite.

[CrispyQ]

37. I would have asked to see the manager, too.

I do a lot of my shopping on foot & always take my previous purchases in with me. I never take my backpack off until I'm at the checkout counter & while shopping, I put my new purchases in the store's hand basket. I suppose you could ask to leave your previous purchases at the front desk or cashiers counter, but I'm not willing to risk that they won't be attentive enough & that I'll "lose" my other purchases. If they are suspicious of people entering with bags or backpacks, then they should watch those customers as they shop, not assume that they stole something just because they have a bag or backpack.

I was under the impression that a store can get in a lot of trouble by accusing you of shoplifting when you didn't. ???

[upi402]

7. Me too! "Call the police - I'm leaving now"

A man was killed by store security near Seattle when he stole a pack of cigs. Choke hold.

[Hawkowl]

8. Call 911

And report that you are being assaulted. People aren't allowed to threaten you or detain you when you have done nothing wrong. You should definitely call the manager and demand an explanation.

[Quantess]

9. Knowing myself, I might have proven to them that I hadn't stolen anything,

for the opportunity to make a snappy comment, a dirty look, and let them know they offended me.

The only time that happened to me, it was in a corner store and the cashier asked me to open my large bag for her after I bought a small candy. When I opened my bag to show her it was empty, she just said "okay". I just left the store feeling offended, without telling her off. I was only 25 then, but if it happened now, I think I might be sassier to an accuser.

[elleng]

11. I would have tried to initiate a conversation,

which might have sounded like cross-examination depending on my mood and theirs. After some time, I might have have opened the bag, trying to adopt a 'friendly' attitude in a neighborhood store.

[TlalocW]

12. Choke-slam

Just kidding.

TlalocW

[Quantess]

30. I was assuming the OP was female.

But you're right, the OP could also be a male. Maybe he's capable of wrestling techniques?

[Merchant Marine]

13. I don't consent to any warrant-less searches

And if they tried to detain me the cops are getting called. If they assault me the knife is coming out.

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. I would have done what you did.

I am sorry that happened to you.

[RoyGBiv]

17. You should have demanded they call the police ...

... and waited for them to arrive. You're going to be "marked" from now on most likely. Had you waited for the police, you would afterward be a VIP in that store once they discovered you had done nothing wrong. If the manager had any brains at all, she would have bent over backwards to satisfy you.

I've had to confront quite a number of shoplifters in my life. I have on occasion gotten it wrong. People are imperfect. When I did get it wrong, I made every effort to apologize sincerely and compensate the individuals for the trouble. I never had anyone stay mad at me about it.

[JoeyT]

20. I don't think it was the accusation that caused a problem

as much as it was the tone of the accusation.

I get stopped from time to time in stores and asked to see what's in my bag (Tattoos, long hair, deep south, etc), and it doesn't bother me as long as they ask nicely. I've never had a problem showing them what's in the bags as long as they ask. When they demand it doesn't work. I've never had someone block me from leaving a store and step into my personal space, but I imagine it wouldn't have gone well at all. (FWIW, I consider "Hey, can we look in your bag to make sure you didn't steal anything?" to be asking nicely. I'm not really picky about it.)

Edited to add: And they've been disappointed every time. I usually end up trying to make them feel better about accusing an innocent person before it's over with.

[RoyGBiv]

26. I understand that ...

Based on the OP's description of the situation, those employees were not well trained in how to handle these situations, and that ultimately falls back on the manager. But that's the reason I would have demanded that they call the cops. Once cops are called, find nothing, and then say their piece with the manager for calling them out there for nothing and into the middle of a situation that apparently the employees escalated beyond their control, even bad managers tend to get real nice, real quick. Cops *hate* being summoned for these things when it becomes clear the problem was the employees themselves, and they're not real shy about expressing their displeasure.

Well trained employees would have dealt with this in a way where that would not have been necessary.

[snot]

19. I wouldn't have liked it; but sorry to say, I've got more urgent concerns.

[kevinbgoode]

21. The store's behavior here was reprehensible

and there is no excuse for intimidating a customer. If they had doubts about you schlepping a bag from another store around while shopping, they could post a sign asking customers to leave bags at the front of the store.

If I am coming into another store from the outside (not in an enclosed mall) and have a large bag with me, I have asked someone at the checkout or front of the store if I should leave my bag in the front. And frankly, the store should provide that kind of security for your belongings. Most stores near college campuses help reduce shoplifting by providing places for students to leave their backpacks, books, etc. while shopping - and they keep them located where store staff can keep an eye on the storage area.

Of course, that's no guarantee that someone's stuff won't be stolen. But it seems to me in your case, the store needs to adopt some kind of policy beyond stopping someone simply because they had a bag of groceries from another store with them.

I would have been insulted as well - and while I probably would have showed them the contents, I would have let them know how much of my time they wasted and that apparently they don't want any business from people who shop at other stores.

[EFerrari]

23. The physicality would be alarming. If someone gets in my dance space

the very least they will get is defensiveness, not compliance.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

22. Never cooperate with private security at any time for any reason

In a wrongful arrest situation having cooperated with security greatly undermines your potential remedies. Verbally indicate to them that you are not cooperating and it is your intent to leave immediately. If security makes physical contact defend yourself as the laws of your state allow and call the police. The police have absolutely no patience for retail security yahoos.

[zonkers]

28. I like this advice, Senator. To all, thanks for your thoughts.

[Kablooie]

24. I would have destroyed them with my heat vision -- if I had heat vision.

[bobburgster]

25. Would have called the cops.

No doubt about it..then I give them my biggest, "You dumb sh*ts!" look as we waited for the police. Not to mention, I would have enjoyed watching their self-doubt surface as I confidently waited for the police to arrive.

[Birthmark]

27. Sounds like you did as well as the law allows.

[proteus_lives]

29. Turn out your bag.

Shoplifting is a problem.

[Monk06]

31. The supreme court has roundly condemned prior restraint ....

Am I wrong? Am I wrong?

[gleaner]

34. I would have asked for the manager ....

before I opened the bag. When he came I would have told them all how long I had been shopping at their store. Then I would have opened the bag and shown them every single item. When I was through I would have asked for an apology and then asked how often they thought they would see me in there after this. Then I would have started talking to people and telling them what happened and waited for the results.

[Vinca]

35. I would have egged them on until they searched me and then

sued the pants off them.

[RedCappedBandit]

36. I would laugh in their faces and leave anyway. nt