I was at the food store and I was constipating buy chapstick/lip gloss and I guess it looked like I put it in my bag.. well I didnt..20 mins later, i was paying for my food and trying to leave and some woman was waiting for me and said "come with me" and we went to the back room and the guy shut the door and was like "give us back our merchindise"well i was sooo confused! And the woman was like "WATCH THE TAPE", while we were watching it she was going through my bag...
so she realized from the tape I didnt steal, I put it back...
and then they were apologizing and offering me a gift card...
well I didnt take one I was shaking too much and crying..
well I called my lawer friend who said this is illeagal and told me to sue. I called the cops and they said it was illegal to detain someone who didn't steal..
but I don't want to sue them. i just want to forget it... but my lawyer friend said to sue....
2007-01-19 15:37:58 · 9 answers · asked by zenhippiechick 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Well, you have the right to sue but if you want to forget about it then just let it go.
2007-01-19 15:43:03 · answer #1 · answered by Al Dave Ismail 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, if a store thinks you stole something they have every right to detain you. The only illegal thing would have been if they still insisted you stole, and or detained you AFTER watching the tape. Besides, you said yourself the store made a good faith effort to make it up to you afterwards. The only way you could possibly have a case is if you look "different". For example if you dressed a certain way, or you think they did it based on your race. Even then winnng a case like that could be difficult.
Don't get me wrong, I would be very upset if I were in your shoes to, and probably thinking the same way. But looking at it from the outside, as I am since I am not involved, its a simple mistake. If you trust your lawyer friend, and want to take the time and effort to sue the store, it is up to you. Who knows if you have a sleezy enough attorney (like I do... hehe) you might possibly win.
Just think about this, you said yourself that it kind of looked like you could have stole something. Put yourself in there shoes for a moment. Wouldn't you want to check it out if you owned a store and you thought somebody stole something? And like I pointed out, you said that they did apoligize and try to offer you something in return. Its not like they kept trying to push the issue even after you were proven innocent, or just kicked out out and said woops.
2007-01-19 23:45:38 · answer #2 · answered by evil_kandykid 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You must be a kid for them to have done all of this, because an adult would just raise hell if they tried something like that. They have to ask for the "merchandise" on the spot. They can't take you into a room. You don't have to sue, but you could publicize this... Cops can't do anything about it. This is a long-term sort of thing. They upset you, so if they are unwilling to settle this with more than a giftcard, a suit may be necessary. Balance the legal fees with what you think you might get...
...and don't worry. I went through the same experience, or somethings like it. I'm still, years later, afraid to shop on my own, and I'm a guy. Your reaction isn't unreasonable.
2007-01-19 23:48:19 · answer #3 · answered by perfectlybaked 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sue them and teach them a lesson , I would also have the arrested for false imprisonment and illegally detaining you, deprivation of liberty, illegal search and anything else.
I understand the frustration of stores to fight shoplifters but they have to do it within the confines of the law.
This could have got out of control and you could have ended up being arrested and charged with a permanent criminal record and possibly some prison time all because they got it wrong.
That would have changed your life forever.
Most retailers carry insurance for these sorts of events so i would nt feel to bad about sueing them , its all paid by insurance.
2007-01-19 23:47:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just sue them. Like everyone else, make their insurance rates go up higher, then complain when they raise the price of the food in their store. Oh yeah, they have to raise the price to cover the higher prices of their premiums of their insurance.
ON THE OTHER HAND... was this some place like Wal-Mart??? Big chain store? Sure, sue their asses off. They deserve it.
2007-01-19 23:58:57 · answer #5 · answered by Karen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can sue but if you were "constipating" whether to buy chapstick or lip gloss you have bigger problems.
2007-01-19 23:46:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea i would just go and talk with the manager and say im not going to sue you but you humiliated me and its not acceptable... yea it would piss me off, i guess if your money hungry and dont mind living in hell you should sue.
2007-01-19 23:46:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was an unfortunate mistake. Tell your lawyer friend to go chase an ambulance!!!
2007-01-20 02:59:41 · answer #8 · answered by DixeVil 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sue.....they have the responsibility to ensure they do their job right.....not when they feel like it.
2007-01-19 23:48:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋