Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft question

[carrie14]

2days ago on my way to an appointment with my 14 year old son we stopped into a localy owned Ma and Pa type grocery store, its a small store full of organic and health type foods. \My son was hungry and I needed to pull cash out of the atm, so we went inside so he could find a snack and I get the cash I needed. When we went to check out ,(a 1/2 sandwich) I asked the cashier about cash back and she said they could not give me any cash back. My husband doesnt want me swipping out atm everywhere I go due to charges that may apply,so I told my son to set down his sandwich and we would hit an atm then come back for the food, and that way I only do 1 transaction.As we left the store and were half way accross the st, a man from the produce department called us back asking what we had done with the sandwich. we told him we put it back, now I knew we hadnt put it where we found it, as we planned to come right back for it. The man Demanded to know where we left it ,so we walked back to the store to show him.naturally we were unable to locate the exsact location my son had put it, as we franticaly tryed to find it again the man began to raise his voice and imply that my son had stolen it. My son was carring a back pack and to prove the sandwich was not with him he opened it up and showed the man it was not containing anything besided a notebook and his I-pod.Even then the man continued to yell as I franticaly tryed to find the spot my son had put it, I even allowed the man to look in my bag and prove that niether of us had the sandwich, however he kept yelling "well where is it then?"He then began to hollar at my son for setting down a item that needed to be refridgerated , to spoil , and went on and on about how he would have to lose the money lost due to having to threw out the food if it was left to long. I was trying to explain we had intendedto come back once Id gone to an atm for cash, but it was useless, he continued to call us theives and or irresponcible shoppers. I even told the man id be happy to pay foe the sandwich just to defuse the situation, and still he went on and on....finaly my son and I were at a compleet loss and were unable to apease this man. we had compleetly emptied out our bags and shown him that there was no way we had taken anything, but he ordered us out of the store and tresspassed the both of us. I told him it was fine by me because I no longer planned to go back, as we were going out the door he was still yelling and accusing and people were staring. It was one of the most embarressing things Ive ever been thru- all the people in the store had stopped what they were doing and were looking at us like criminals. I was mortafied! so was my boy.I am sure at some point durring the day someone who works there either found the sandwich or addmitted to moving it back to the deli, either way, we had done NOTHING wrong and were treated badly. Is it legal to just go nuts on people with no proof that a crime had even been commited in the 1st place?

 

[mightymoose]

Yes it is.

 

[CdwJava]

If you could not recall where you put the sandwich, how were you going to come back in and buy it when you had gone to the ATM???

No crime was committed by the store owner. If you feel you were somehow damaged by the harangue, then you can pay an attorney, itemize your specific damages, and sue the store for an amount of money to make you whole. I doubt you will get very far with that, but, if you have the inclination and the resources, you can give it a go.

Best bet? Suck it up, move on, and don't go back to the store.

 

[cbg]

FYI, it is better to start a new thread than to attach it to one that is three years old - I've moved yours into its own thread.