Sometimes thinking of Christmas gift ideas for women can be difficult.
Check out this question and answers from one person facing this dilemma.
Question by RC: Untintentional Shoplifting?
My wife and I went shopping yesterday for a last minute Christmas shopping. While my wife was shopping to JCP I was waiting out front so she shop by herself without me seeing what she get for me as Christmas gift. After an hour or two, she called me on her cell phone to let me know she was being taken to the security office. She was being detained for accidentally putting a pair of toddler socks in the wrong bag. She had her purse, a bag from other store and jcpenny’s shopping bag on one arm. She was in a hurry shopping and by mistake put the items in the wrong bag. While she was escorted to the security office, she was not allowed to use her phone so she can call me. My wife told me, while she was inside in the office she keeps explaining that she forgot everything about the socks. It was unintentional. Even she was not allowed to use her phone, she insisted and called me while she was inside. The second I knew, I went inside the store and ask for the security office. I could hear…
I could hear the conversation thru the door, as she was trying to explain, all they do was cut her off and say “tell the judge” everytime she speak I heard the same thing from the inside. She told me that the two women were rude and unprofessional. It was never an intention to my wife to steal these socks, it was a Christmas present for my grandson. My wife thinks that because she is a minority( Asian) and does not have a full mastery of our language, and they were discriminating her on that basis, that they were trying to make a example of her by not listening to her. She keeps saying to forgive her and that she forgot everything about the socks. The security lady told her she would have forgiven her for one pack of socks, but my wife was getting 2 packs as the sale was buy 1 get the second half off.
P. S. -She paid what was in the JCPenny bag.
They never call a cop but they told her to wait a letter from the police and from the court. Now she is worried. She couldnt sleep.
They ask her id, wrote her name and took a picture even she does not want to. The lady read a piece of paper saying that a JCP corporate, a cop and a court will send her a letter and let her signed. She signed against her will. The lady kept the signed paper and gave her another paper without her signature to keep with a the security’s name and phone number. Until we got home, she look at the paper , and it says, I _______hereby admit to stealing merchandise valued $ 19.99 from JCP . I also herby acknowledge that my detention was reasonable.
Basically, the rest was saying that she understand the civil damages.
That paper does not have her signature but only the security’s name on it.
Now she is worried because she just realized and she thinks it’s the same paper that she signed. She thinks they mislead her because at first she keep saying that she will not sign the paper that she read admitting the incident..
she’s worried that it will show on her record. She has job to protect
My question is, if they can send a letter to the police as what the security told her to wait for a letter from the police department. (Even they did not call cop so there is no police report.)
She is worried that it will show up on her background check.
Also, they asked her if she has cash with her and she said no, only a debit card and JCPenny card where she used on paying the items she bought.
Best answer:
Answer by Tracey Seth
Oops. Lots of trouble to forget about a pair of socks.
Better remember next time.
What do you think? Answer below!
So that is just one issue wrapped up. Find many great Christmas gift ideas on this site. Some of the best gift retailers can be found on the pages of this site.
Namely Red Letter Days for special days, activities and experiences to remember.
Getting Personal for putting a personalised stamp on your gift to make it truly unique and special.
Prezzybox for some fine gifts to fit all budgets.
And Thorntons, because every lady likes to indulge herself with tasting and devouring delicious and luxurious chocolate!
Christmas Gift Ideas for Women
Hire a lawyer, one of your own choosing.
At most, this is petty theft–a slap on the wrist. It is very doubtful that this case will be taken to court and many police won’t even touch such a simple accusation. If there is video evidence of her “stealing” the socks, that may be a different story.
I’m appalled by JCPenny’s attitude toward petty theft.
I suggest that you file a complaint with the corporate portion of the store if your lawyer thinks that will help you. It is okay to ask him if you can sue for racial harassment and forced coercion. Do not let your wife talk to police unless the lawyer is present as per your 5th Amendment Rights.
I am not sure what your question is here. The security guard caught her with unpaid merchandise. They have no professional duty to discuss it with her and the “Oh, it is in the wrong bag” ploy is a very common one.
She signed a statement admitting to the theft. She should have read the statement before signing. if she refused to sign the statement they would have likely contacted the police.
If it shows on her record or not will depend if JCP intends to pursue criminal charges. Often stores will settle for the civil remedy when possible.
and your question is ?
I’m guessing this happened in the US? Also- it’s driving me crazy that people insist on leaving out the state this occurs in. Different US States have different laws, including the status of Security Guards. In some states they can enforce laws, and in some they cannot. Your wife should not have signed anything, and asked for the police to come and handle the case.
As far as your wife not understanding english, that is her own fault. It doesn’t take much intelligence to realize that you need to speak the language of the country you live in.
It sucks that your wife didn’t realize that she put the socks in the wrong bag.
The guards were correct in telling your wife to “Tell it to the Judge”, as that is where her side will be heard. Intentional or not, your wife was in possession of stolen property, so she did commit a crime.
I hope things work out for you, but in the future, know your rights.