My question involves criminal law for the state of: NJ
I returned many items I received for the holidays to a major department store and received store credit on seperate occassions spanning a few weeks. Today I went to purchase purfume and my store credit would not go through. Loss Prevention showed up and said we needed to have a discussion. I asked about what and he said it was related as to why my credit was not being approved. He took me into his office, sat me down, and demanded to search my handbag, he then took it from me and dumped it out. He emptied my wallet, he dumped everything. I told him no, it didn't matter. I was EXTREMELY uncomfortable. He would not allow me to leave or to call my friend who is an attorney I could barely get a signal on my phone in the office they were holding me in. He kept saying to tell the truth. You know what you did. We need to complete paperwork, you can't leave. All along not telling me what I did. Eventually I got a cell phone signal and spoke with a friend who happened to be an attorney. The guy who was holding me would not speak with him. My attorney then called that guy's boss who told him I had been committing return fraud. He said I was placing tags on clothing that did not belong to their store and returning it. I am in sales and yes I have been to many of their stores and returned items, I also bought things like I was doing today. I admit I return a lot of stuff. Everytime I return something it is not done by mail, its handed to a cashier, it is approved as okay, and I am issueded a store credit for the return. I was beyond upset at that point. I told the man holding me to call the police or let me go and grabbed my stuff back. After he tried to block my way he told me I needed to pay back the store for everything I had ever returned which he said was a whopping $4,900. He stated he would press fraud charges in every county I returned an item in unless I agree in the next 24 hours. I left at that point with him taunting me all the way out the door. What now?
I forgot to mention, my cousin showed up after my attorney friend called him. Loss prevention told him I was switching tags or putting on tags, comitting return fraud, and whatever else they deemed appropriate to say.
I want to understand, that because I return often and the returns were even accepted as their merchandise - I can be charged with a crime like this?
And no, there was nothing in my handbag that belonged to them. Well there was the perfume I purchased from them with cash before they detained me.

