What is the name of your state? Virginia
I work for a vendor organization. My duties are merchandising in several retail locations. On September 8th 2004 I went into one of
my retail locations which is a Walmart. I had been in this store twice before, once with my manager and once by myself. This was two weeks
before this incident.
I proceeded to enter into the store, and I signed into the vendor log-in book. After that I proceeded to the back stock room and picked up
the merchandise boxes that I was suppose to set out. I then proceeded to the front of the store, where the location to merchandise was. I
set up the merchandise and conduct my work. After I was done setting up the merchandise I was required to tape up the boxes and then send
them back via shipping. I did not have my tape on me at the time so then I went outside the store and retrieved my tape from my car. I went
back into the store and then taped up the boxes and moved them back to shipping.
After I was done with my duties I proceeded to the pharmacy section and purchased an item, I went to the check out and proceeded to leave
the store. I was then immediately confronted by two walmart security personnel. Both grabbed me by my arms and started to tell me to
come with them, when I asked what was the problem I was told that I had stolen the tape. I told them that this was a big misunderstanding and
they proceeded to tell me that they had me on tape. I repeatedly asked them are they sure they had me on tape and that they are certain they
saw me taking the tape, the confirmed. One guard walked behind me as another walked next me to holding my shopping bag. At the front door one
of the guards checked my bag and receipt. I was walked to the back of the store with one guard holding my arm and basically forcing me to the
back and the other following me. Both repeatedly told me not to make a scene and not to try anything stupid. I was dragged to the back like a
common criminal and humiliated.
After arriving to the back I was seated in a room. When asked for weapons I told them that I had a box cutter, to open the boxes. I had left that
at the front. They took my id. After this one of the security guards proceeded to drill me to confess.
He claimed that he already had me on tape and that they saw me taking the tape, he also stated the he had been watching me for a while
and that he had passed my workplace several time, he asked why I had not seen him I replied that I was conducting my work, not looking around.
But he presistantly told me to confess and that they had me on tape taking the tape. Then the head security manager stepped in at which point
I was asked my story. I told him everything I did and even gave him the time I came in and the time I left to get my tape. I reiterated that if they
checked the video tapes that they would clearly find that I had not taken anything.
While I was taking to him, the security guard who had questioned me was looking at my id (passport) and other things inside, my check card
and a bank deposit slip. The head security asked him what he was looking at and he replies (jokingly) we can use financial strain as a motive
because I had just deposited a small sum of money in my checking account.
After this they reviewed the tapes and the head security manager stepped in and spoke to me. The tapes showed that I was innocent. He had told me
next time to get a small tag from the front of the store to show that I was bringing in something to the store, and that they carried the same tape
in their store. After this they released me. I got no apology from anybody, and I was not confronted by the other two security guards who made
the call and grab on me.
I was clearly innocent and don’t know where and how they thought that I had taken a $2.00 tape when I could have easily taken more valuable
merchandise that I was working with. There was no evidence on the tape and simply because I was carrying something they also had as an item
in the store I was marked as a thief.
I was grabbed and taken to the back of the store, I was threatened not to do anything stupid or they would take care of me. I was humiliated
and treated like a thief by the security guard claiming to have me on tape.
What can I do? I want to know all legal actions I can take.
Thanks Much
Abdul
I work for a vendor organization. My duties are merchandising in several retail locations. On September 8th 2004 I went into one of
my retail locations which is a Walmart. I had been in this store twice before, once with my manager and once by myself. This was two weeks
before this incident.
I proceeded to enter into the store, and I signed into the vendor log-in book. After that I proceeded to the back stock room and picked up
the merchandise boxes that I was suppose to set out. I then proceeded to the front of the store, where the location to merchandise was. I
set up the merchandise and conduct my work. After I was done setting up the merchandise I was required to tape up the boxes and then send
them back via shipping. I did not have my tape on me at the time so then I went outside the store and retrieved my tape from my car. I went
back into the store and then taped up the boxes and moved them back to shipping.
After I was done with my duties I proceeded to the pharmacy section and purchased an item, I went to the check out and proceeded to leave
the store. I was then immediately confronted by two walmart security personnel. Both grabbed me by my arms and started to tell me to
come with them, when I asked what was the problem I was told that I had stolen the tape. I told them that this was a big misunderstanding and
they proceeded to tell me that they had me on tape. I repeatedly asked them are they sure they had me on tape and that they are certain they
saw me taking the tape, the confirmed. One guard walked behind me as another walked next me to holding my shopping bag. At the front door one
of the guards checked my bag and receipt. I was walked to the back of the store with one guard holding my arm and basically forcing me to the
back and the other following me. Both repeatedly told me not to make a scene and not to try anything stupid. I was dragged to the back like a
common criminal and humiliated.
After arriving to the back I was seated in a room. When asked for weapons I told them that I had a box cutter, to open the boxes. I had left that
at the front. They took my id. After this one of the security guards proceeded to drill me to confess.
He claimed that he already had me on tape and that they saw me taking the tape, he also stated the he had been watching me for a while
and that he had passed my workplace several time, he asked why I had not seen him I replied that I was conducting my work, not looking around.
But he presistantly told me to confess and that they had me on tape taking the tape. Then the head security manager stepped in at which point
I was asked my story. I told him everything I did and even gave him the time I came in and the time I left to get my tape. I reiterated that if they
checked the video tapes that they would clearly find that I had not taken anything.
While I was taking to him, the security guard who had questioned me was looking at my id (passport) and other things inside, my check card
and a bank deposit slip. The head security asked him what he was looking at and he replies (jokingly) we can use financial strain as a motive
because I had just deposited a small sum of money in my checking account.
After this they reviewed the tapes and the head security manager stepped in and spoke to me. The tapes showed that I was innocent. He had told me
next time to get a small tag from the front of the store to show that I was bringing in something to the store, and that they carried the same tape
in their store. After this they released me. I got no apology from anybody, and I was not confronted by the other two security guards who made
the call and grab on me.
I was clearly innocent and don’t know where and how they thought that I had taken a $2.00 tape when I could have easily taken more valuable
merchandise that I was working with. There was no evidence on the tape and simply because I was carrying something they also had as an item
in the store I was marked as a thief.
I was grabbed and taken to the back of the store, I was threatened not to do anything stupid or they would take care of me. I was humiliated
and treated like a thief by the security guard claiming to have me on tape.
What can I do? I want to know all legal actions I can take.
Thanks Much
Abdul
