DragonFire
Member
Both my brother-in-law and myself had separate run-ins with department store security people over the Holidays (Kmart and Walmart).
I bought a DVD and the clerk didn't take off the security tag so the alarm at the door went off. The checked my reciept, removed the tag and let me go. I was a little offend when the security women asked "did you steal this?" in a loud voice, but then did have much to say when I produced the reciept.
My brother-in-law had a worse situation. He bought a pair of work boots from a guy on Ebay, and they set off the alarm. Security told him they "knew" he stole something and if he just gave it back they'd let him go. They finally tracked it to the boots, and luckily he had worn them a few days so they didn't look brand new and they believed his story.
I was carrying at the time, and while I knew I didn't have anything to really worry about, it also went through my mind that these people were not going to search me, and were not going to get anywhere near my pistol. I'm not sure I had this all worked out at the time, but my basic plan was to simple and calmly tell them I wasn't going to leave, but I also wasn't going to cooperate with anyone but the police. I'd tell them that if they wanted to call the police I'd wait for them, but if not, I'd be leaving. No searches, no going to the back room, no discussions, nothing.
Would that have been a good plan? Would it have worked? So ego and good customer relations aside, what rights do store security people have in situations like this? What can they try to make me do?
I bought a DVD and the clerk didn't take off the security tag so the alarm at the door went off. The checked my reciept, removed the tag and let me go. I was a little offend when the security women asked "did you steal this?" in a loud voice, but then did have much to say when I produced the reciept.
My brother-in-law had a worse situation. He bought a pair of work boots from a guy on Ebay, and they set off the alarm. Security told him they "knew" he stole something and if he just gave it back they'd let him go. They finally tracked it to the boots, and luckily he had worn them a few days so they didn't look brand new and they believed his story.
I was carrying at the time, and while I knew I didn't have anything to really worry about, it also went through my mind that these people were not going to search me, and were not going to get anywhere near my pistol. I'm not sure I had this all worked out at the time, but my basic plan was to simple and calmly tell them I wasn't going to leave, but I also wasn't going to cooperate with anyone but the police. I'd tell them that if they wanted to call the police I'd wait for them, but if not, I'd be leaving. No searches, no going to the back room, no discussions, nothing.
Would that have been a good plan? Would it have worked? So ego and good customer relations aside, what rights do store security people have in situations like this? What can they try to make me do?