Home Depot Is Accused of Shaking Down Suspected Shoplifters

[radcen]

Home Depot Is Accused of Shaking Down Suspected Shoplifters

Home Depot Is Accused of Shaking Down Suspected Shoplifters - Yahoo Finance

 

[American]

Reverse-irony?

 

[Gipper]

If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit.

 

[clownboy]

The guy spends near 1,500 bucks and they're going spastic over two pairs of $4 gloves? :roll:

 

[radcen]

The guy spends near 1,500 bucks and they're going spastic over two pairs of $4 gloves? :roll:

This is why, at least in this specific case, the word "shakedown" is appropriate.

I have herd that it is common for shoplifters to buy things to try and fool store security, but I don't see it happening with this level of extreme difference.

I'd also bet that HD lost this guy's business forever. Was that really worth it over a $4 pair of gloves and $1500 sale?

 

[radcen]

From the linked article:
"Chen was taken to what he calls a “stew room” and questioned..."

If you were faced with being accused of shoplifting... actual guilt vs innocence is irrelevant for this question... would you go into their little room?

I don't think I would. I sure as hell wouldn't sign anything. I'd be tempted to tell them, "If you think I stole something, call the police. I will wait right here on this bench until they arrive. You have 20 minutes."

 

[MaggieD]

Home Depot Is Accused of Shaking Down Suspected Shoplifters

Home Depot Is Accused of Shaking Down Suspected Shoplifters - Yahoo Finance

I was all SET to attack the headline, thinking it was employees doing the shaking down. Wrong. The suspected thieves received letters from Home Depot's attorneys.

I can see demanding restitution. After due process. I can see a store demanding the stolen merchandise be paid for right on the spot or pressing charges. I can't see not doing anything at the site and then following up with a blackmail letter later.

As an aside, who the HELL steals a $3.99 pair of gloves when they bought, at the same time, $1500 worth of stuff? No wonder the guy filed suit. Sounds ludicrous.

 

[CRUE CAB]

If you were faced with being accused of shoplifting... actual guilt vs innocence is irrelevant for this question... would you go into their little room?

I don't think I would. I sure as hell wouldn't sign anything. I'd be tempted to tell them, "If you think I stole something, call the police. I will wait right here on this bench until they arrive. You have 20 minutes."

I would have said put the gloves on my card.
NO? Then shove them.
Then left.

 

[radcen]

I was all SET to attack the headline, thinking it was employees doing the shaking down. Wrong. The suspected thieves received letters from Home Depot's attorneys.

I can see demanding restitution. After due process. I can see a store demanding the stolen merchandise be paid for right on the spot or pressing charges. I can't see not doing anything at the site and then following up with a blackmail letter later.

As an aside, who the HELL steals a $3.99 pair of gloves when they bought, at the same time, $1500 worth of stuff? No wonder the guy filed suit. Sounds ludicrous.

Yep. The attorneys are an outside party, but they're hired by corporate management, and act in their name and with their approval. They also split the proceeds.

 

[tech30528]

Yep. The attorneys are an outside party, but they're hired by corporate management, and act in their name and with their approval. They also split the proceeds.

What we need is a limited season on **** bag bottom feeding lawyers for the good of the community at large.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

We are only hearing one side of the story here, it's possible this Chen guy isn't telling the whole tale. It sounds suspicious to me, very suspicious.

 

[radcen]

We are only hearing one side of the story here, it's possible this Chen guy isn't telling the whole tale. It sounds suspicious to me, very suspicious.

Unless he's incredibly stupid, he wouldn't be filing a lawsuit knowing that anything he's holding back will come out in court.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

Unless he's incredibly stupid, he wouldn't be filing a lawsuit knowing that anything he's holding back will come out in court.

I just have a hard time believing he was busted for shoplifting a pair of gloves in the way he claims, makes no sense to me.

 

[Moot]

....Chen says that on June 6 he and a friend went shopping at a Home Depot in San Leandro, Calif. Before loading some lumber into the cart, he says, they put on work gloves. When they checked out, all the merchandise was scanned, except for the gloves, which Chen had belatedly added to the pile. He paid $1,445.90 with his Home Depot credit card. As he and his friend were walking toward the door, they were stopped by a security guard, who accused Chen of stealing the gloves. Chen was taken to what he calls a “stew room” and questioned; while there he suffered an asthma attack, became agitated, and was handcuffed. After about 30 minutes he agreed to sign a document promising to stay out of the store for 90 days. He also provided contact information......

It might have been an oversight, but does appear Chen tried to steal the gloves.


On the other hand, make sure you check your reciepts and/or your home depot credit card statements because I've had them charge me twice many times. I stopped using their credit card for that reason.

 

[radcen]

I just have a hard time believing he was busted for shoplifting a pair of gloves in the way he claims, makes no sense to me.

I don't. Companies anymore are looking for any way they can to pull in some more cash. I never thought I'd see the day when airlines would charge for carry-on bags, but that day is here.

 

[radcen]

It might have been an oversight, but does appear Chen tried to steal the gloves.


On the other hand, make sure you check your reciepts and/or your home depot credit card statements because I've had them charge me twice many times. I stopped using their credit card for that reason.

The key word is "tried". Did he try to steal them, as in an intentional act, or did he inadvertently put them down and forget about them?

Legally, there may or may not be a difference. But, not everything illegal must be pursued, and if it was an inadvertent mistake, the money HD loses from what is apparently a very good customer never shopping there again would suggest that HD's actions are short-sighted. They're trading a lifetime of a profitable customer for a couple hundred bucks (their share of the take) right now.

Then again, many companies are beholden to their shareholders, and shareholders only care about this quarter, not next.

 

[Moot]

The key word is "tried". Did he try to steal them, as in an intentional act, or did he inadvertently put them down and forget about them?

Legally, there may or may not be a difference. But, not everything illegal must be pursued, and if it was an inadvertent mistake, the money HD loses from what is apparently a very good customer never shopping there again would suggest that HD's actions are short-sighted. They're trading a lifetime of a profitable customer for a couple hundred bucks (their share of the take) right now.

Then again, many companies are beholden to their shareholders, and shareholders only care about this quarter, not next.

He didn't take the gloves off until after all the other items had been scanned and then he threw them on top of the cart as he was leaving the store? I think he knew he didn't pay for the gloves.

 

[radcen]

He didn't take the gloves off until after all the other items had been scanned and then he threw them on top of the cart as he was leaving the store? I think he knew he didn't pay for the gloves.

I wouldn't make that assumption. People get busy in complex situations and forget little things all the time.

 

[Moot]

I wouldn't make that assumption. People get busy in complex situations and forget little things all the time.

Yes, it happens. But he knew all the other items had been scanned when he threw the gloves on the pile. So he must have known the gloves weren't scanned when he tried to leave the store.

 

[molten_dragon]

If you were faced with being accused of shoplifting... actual guilt vs innocence is irrelevant for this question... would you go into their little room?

I don't think I would. I sure as hell wouldn't sign anything. I'd be tempted to tell them, "If you think I stole something, call the police. I will wait right here on this bench until they arrive. You have 20 minutes."

I'd do the exact same thing in that situation. If I had bought $1500 worth of stuff from their store, and they forgot to scan $8 worth of gloves, I'd be glad to wait for the police to get their and explain myself to them.

 

[MaggieD]

Yes, it happens. But he knew all the other items had been scanned when he threw the gloves on the pile. So he must have known the gloves weren't scanned when he tried to leave the store.

I've done similar things myself. It's not hard to do when one is preoccupied. I can't tell you how many times I've "tried to steal things" from the grocery store. :rofl

 

[Gipper]

The guy spends near 1,500 bucks and they're going spastic over two pairs of $4 gloves? :roll:

If this happened in Alabama, they'd have to call their cousin Vinny from New York to defend them.

 

[DiAnna]

This is a scam by HD, pure and simple. He was threatened and billed hundreds of dollars for $8 worth of gloves. I wonder how much money HD racks up every year terrorizing people into handing over blackmail money.

The moral here? If one is ever accused unjustly, demand to see the police and don't sign anything.

 

[Cephus]

If you were faced with being accused of shoplifting... actual guilt vs innocence is irrelevant for this question... would you go into their little room?

I don't think I would. I sure as hell wouldn't sign anything. I'd be tempted to tell them, "If you think I stole something, call the police. I will wait right here on this bench until they arrive. You have 20 minutes."

I wouldn't even do that. Store security has no actual legal power to hold you, they can perform a citizen's arrest, but you have to agree to abide by it, you're not legally bound to do so, you can just ignore them and walk away and if they touch you, you can sue them for assault. Most consumers don't realize how little power retailers actually have. Retailers have to have actual evidence, either video or an eyewitness to your theft, otherwise they can do nothing. You don't have to stop for the idiots at the door checking your receipt (with the exception of membership stores that can revoke your membership if you don't, but can take no other action) or for the stupid security alarms that go off. The courts have already ruled that these are insufficient reasons to accost someone. I never stop for any of it. There was this one Walmart years ago that I used to have to go to for work supplies and they had these shrill old ladies that would literally chase you into the parking lot screaming "SIR! I HAVE TO CHECK YOUR RECEIPT!" Walmart has lost lawsuit after lawsuit over things like this.

In short, just ignore them. If you haven't stolen anything, walk away, there's nothing they can do. If they have actual evidence that you did, let them send the police. Otherwise, it's all hot air.

 

[Cephus]

It might have been an oversight, but does appear Chen tried to steal the gloves.

Looks like the cashier forgot to scan the gloves to me. It's the cashier's job to scan every single item, they probably ought to fire the cashier in this case.