My 17 year old daughter was arrested for shoplifting at a Claires Boutique in Ohio. Her and a friend were at the mall and she had her birthday money with her to do some shopping (about $160). She had just spent approx $125 of her money in other stores and had those bags with her along with the reciepts, when her friend wanted to stop and look at earrings in Claires. As they were looking, my daughter saw a ring on the floor. She picked it up to look at it, then tried it on. It only fit her thumb so she proceeded to look around the store (with the ring still on her thumb) because she liked the ring and was looking for more of them. They went to another area where there were more rings, where she tried on a couple more (different ones). She put those back and they moved to the front of the store where there is more merchandise. If you've ever been in a Claires, there are always tables or something set up by the entrance, that's where they were. Her friend then said to her "Come on lets go". Before my daughter could even do anything, the "manager" stoped her and asked to see her hand. She showed the girl her hand and the ring was still on her thumb. The manager then showed my daughter a wrapper of some sort that I guess had been on the ring and said she found it over where they had been standing and told my daughter she would have to detain her and call the police. My daughter completely cooperated. The manager then proceeded to go through all of my daughters belongings (her purse and the bags from the other stores) before the police arrived, where she did not find anything else. She told her that she was allowed to do that. She made comments to her like.......everyone thinks its easy to steal from us but we're under new management so you might want to tell all your little friends......which sounds like she is accusing my daughter of doing this before. The police came and took my daughter to the security office where they also went through her things, and called my husband to come pick my daughter up. They actually told my daughter that they didn't want to do that (take her and arrest her) but that the manager was insistent. They also told my husband that they would recomend that "punishment" be handled by parents but I guess we have to wait for the detective who will handle the case to decide if they will proceed. My daughter had no other items on her, she did not conceal the ring, which by the way cost about $5, she had about $35 on her so she had no reason to "steal" the ring, and again she completely cooperated. She has never been in trouble, no prior arrests, no record....nothing! What should we expect from this? Also, I didn't think that the manager was allowed to go through my daughters personal belongings, that only a law enforcement official could do that. I use to work in retail and we were told that we were not allowed to do that.
This has really upset us. I would appreciate any info.....thank you.
This has really upset us. I would appreciate any info.....thank you.
