Is it legal for guards to search my bag on my way out of a grocery store?

Question

As i was leaving a big supermarket, the lady guard asked to search my bag. My question is why search me and my sister if she did not attempt to search the others?

Answer 1

Whenever somebody tries to do this I tell them that I reserve the right to charge them $5 (payable in advance) for the right to search my personal property.

My attitude is that if it is illegal for a police officer to randomly search some-body's property - why should I allow anybody else to?

Answer 2

Yes, security guards do not need the stronger reasoning's police do like Probable Cause. If say Wal-Mart, who does this regularly, have a policy of doing random bag checks for patrons who frequent their stores you are still on the private property of the store and they do have this right. You can refuse, in which case most times nothing will happen. If you are then detained, which they can also do and the police are called you can be banned from the property for good. The case of Wal-Mart, the policy is posted and sometimes it is printed on the back of the store receipts as well.

Answer 3

A store security guard has no legal right to search your belongings or person. You have 3 choices:
1. Grant them permission
2. Demand they let you go unsearched (which they may refuse)
3. Demand they call the police to do the search

Answer 4

Unless the guard had probable cause for searching it, I'd say no. Contact the store manager if you feel that this was wrong of her to do.

Answer 5

You can say no. However, if they have reason to believe you were stealing items from the store, you can be detained by store personnel until law enforcement arrives.

Answer 6

they look at your riecpt careful with the computer chip things the'll set off the bells at the door,,,be ready to shoe reicpt

Answer 7

maybe they are hungry.