needhelp09
Junior Member
I recently visited a large electronics retail store in N. Carolina to return/exchange certain items. Before I entered, the employee at the store entrance affixed a return sticker to mark which items were being returned. After this was done, I suddenly realized that I had left one item in my car and promptly returned to get it. Once again I returned to the store and walked in w/o stopping at the employee to get the sticker affixed as I had already done that 5 mins before.
I finished my browsing and got the items I wanted to exchange for the items I had entered the store with. When I went to the exchnage desk, I was promptly escorted to the manager (in a side room with store monitoring equipment) and was asked to take a chair (as in a interrogating room).
At this point I was more confused than worried. The employee and the manager indicated that there was an issue they needed to resolve and that my co-operation was required. I indicated that I was more than willing to co-operate if they can explian what this was all about.
Bottom line, I was told that (as per the video which I was not shown) I was possessing item(s) that the employee at the entrance did not recognize as having affixed the 'return sticker' to. This was in spite of the fact the item(s) did have the sticker.
I was given 2 options -
1. Call the cops and have them arrest me as having shoplifted the item(s)
2. I sign a 'Trespassing Notice' indicating that I will not enter the store for a period of 2 years
Now I started to get really worried. I had the return store receipts indicating that I had in fact bought the item(s) and having shown the same to them, were actually proposing that I had shoplifted the item(s). I asked them to show me the video showing me that I was shoplifting and I was refused.
I was scared and having explained myself to the manager numerous times I realized that I was not being let out of the room I was locked in. After 20 mins of back & forth talk, the manager stepped out telling the employee to stand guard outside the door and not let me out.
He came back 5-10 mins later and indicated that unless I sign the document, he was calling the cops and I would be arrested.
I wanted to end this humiliation as I had a family member waiting outside in the car and I did not want to explain this stupid situation and humiliate myself further.
I signed the document and got out as soon as possible. It was much later on (after calming down) did I realize, perhaps I should have taken option one and worked it out with the cops.
The document I filled out asked for my details like name, address and contact info along with the reason to which I was filling out the form (which I noted as "other" among the options available in the document). I declined to provide my SSN which was also asked for.
My questions are:
1. Did I do the right thing?
2. Am I supposed to stay away from 'only' this store or all stores from the same retailer?
3. I forgot to ask for the copy of the document I filled out as I was wanted to just get the h*** out of there. Should I have asked for that? Can I go back as get it from the manager?
I am now extremely worried, cannot sleep and really appreciate any help in this matter.
Thanks.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
I finished my browsing and got the items I wanted to exchange for the items I had entered the store with. When I went to the exchnage desk, I was promptly escorted to the manager (in a side room with store monitoring equipment) and was asked to take a chair (as in a interrogating room).
At this point I was more confused than worried. The employee and the manager indicated that there was an issue they needed to resolve and that my co-operation was required. I indicated that I was more than willing to co-operate if they can explian what this was all about.
Bottom line, I was told that (as per the video which I was not shown) I was possessing item(s) that the employee at the entrance did not recognize as having affixed the 'return sticker' to. This was in spite of the fact the item(s) did have the sticker.
I was given 2 options -
1. Call the cops and have them arrest me as having shoplifted the item(s)
2. I sign a 'Trespassing Notice' indicating that I will not enter the store for a period of 2 years
Now I started to get really worried. I had the return store receipts indicating that I had in fact bought the item(s) and having shown the same to them, were actually proposing that I had shoplifted the item(s). I asked them to show me the video showing me that I was shoplifting and I was refused.
I was scared and having explained myself to the manager numerous times I realized that I was not being let out of the room I was locked in. After 20 mins of back & forth talk, the manager stepped out telling the employee to stand guard outside the door and not let me out.
He came back 5-10 mins later and indicated that unless I sign the document, he was calling the cops and I would be arrested.
I wanted to end this humiliation as I had a family member waiting outside in the car and I did not want to explain this stupid situation and humiliate myself further.
I signed the document and got out as soon as possible. It was much later on (after calming down) did I realize, perhaps I should have taken option one and worked it out with the cops.
The document I filled out asked for my details like name, address and contact info along with the reason to which I was filling out the form (which I noted as "other" among the options available in the document). I declined to provide my SSN which was also asked for.
My questions are:
1. Did I do the right thing?
2. Am I supposed to stay away from 'only' this store or all stores from the same retailer?
3. I forgot to ask for the copy of the document I filled out as I was wanted to just get the h*** out of there. Should I have asked for that? Can I go back as get it from the manager?
I am now extremely worried, cannot sleep and really appreciate any help in this matter.
Thanks.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?