Innocenct of shoplifting but bullied to confess

[LP1186]

I'm not so sure that you're sister has a case against the department store. 1) they never charged her with anything. The "demand" letter that she recieved is a CIVIL demand. No legal charges were pressed against her or you would've recieved something from the city or county. 2) they never aprehended her and detained her, so she can't sue for unlawfully detaining her.

Now i'm not saying don't get a lawer you should deffinately look into it, but don't get your hopes up that you'll come out with a settlement. Also I am not a legal expert. I do work in LP though, and i can tell you that they did not follow correct procedures.

It is possible that she could sue them for something, but I don't see what it would be. Also you don't have to worry about getting this taken off her record, it was never on her record. Most department stores handle most shoplifting casses civily, that is they don't involve law enforcement or the court, so nothign goes on your record as long as you pay the civil demand. If they had pressed criminal charges you would know by now becuase she would've been aprehended by the LP and the police would've been called at the time this happened, then she would've recieved a citation or been arrested. Also it is very likely that the department store does not have a camera system, esepcially if it is a relatively old store. It is harder than people think to set up a camera system and have it recording or being monitored at all times unless the camera system is put into the buildings original design. So it is very likely that they do not have a camera system and they just simply have LP agents walking the floor.

[PaulE]

I'd say calling 12+ times, sending a $1,100.00 demand, falsely accusing her of theft/fraud.....it sounds like money to me lp1186, Harassment, mental distress. There is no need to pay the demand if the store was in error, but as I said the lawyer will take care of that. Cameras aren't that hard to install and most all stores have some form of system in place, I've worked in stores that were antiques.....they had systems. Just an FYI bro.....re-read your posts they are full of spelling errors.....I'm not trying to bag on you just make a suggestion.

[LP1186]

You would be surprised about the camera systems. Yes, they may exist, but whether they are being recorded or even watched is a totally different story. You can put all the cameras up as you want, but you have to be able to run the wires to a VCR or some form of recorder and it has to be hooked up to a monitor that someone can watch. It is very costly to cover an entire store with cameras. You're looking at many VCR tapes(unless your paying the big bucks for the new systems that record on a hard drive) and you have to pay someone (and train that someone) to watch the camera's at all times. If it's a big store you may need more than one person. It could get very costly and may not be worth it. So it would seem the likely hood of the camera's being operational and recording her every step is not very high. I've known people who have worked at stores like Wal-mart and JC Penney's and the systems they have are there, but not very affective and probably not good enough to be able to follow someone through the entire store. Also, sorry for the spelling errors. I think that last post I wrote at like midnight or 1am.

[bubbamia]

LP1186, what company do you work for that doesn't invest in a operational camera system? Most store have great camera systems, unless you work for a mom & pop shop. Even then, they have at least one camera recording to a vcr. Digital systems are not much more exspensive then the older method or time-lapse vcrs. Do you work at a Sears? 1186 sounds like a Sears unit number. Your previous post staed she doesn't have a case againts the store. WHAT? How long have you been in Loss Prevention? What would happen if you or someone in your LP department acted in the manner jaylow described in her post? You would be fired or at least on a final written warning and the compnay would be S*$@ing bricks about a lawsuit.

[jaytlow]

My sister contacted a lawyer...he comes highly recommended. LP1186, you say that no charges were filed against her; however, the complaint number on the demand letter looks very similar in structure to the complaint number of my civil complaint against my ex (year-prescient-######) No, my ex wont have a criminal record, but indefinitely anyone who is someone will know he likes to collect girls clothes and write bad checks. :P It looks to me like she was charged with something “Shoplifting and Damaging Merchandise”.

I do agree with you LP 1186 that if there was a problem at the time it should have been dealt with them; hence, why a manager was called to assist with the return. Despite, this did not stop Mr LP from threatening to call the police the following day. My sister’s concern is keeping her record clean. So, if he did call then she would be in the system and this is a big err. Contrary to your belief LP1186, paying the civil demand does not mean your record is void of any wrongdoing—at least that is what I’ve read here.

PaulE and bubbamia are right...my friend’s mother is manager of a Macy’s that was erected in 1987; (19 years ago) we would exit through security when leaving with her. The cameras may have been “Poltergeist” blue, but they had about 20 of them with three designated watchers and they were clear.

Regardless, the absence of cameras doesn’t pertain to Andy, for I think it was the cameras that later proved her innocent—less the clerk who rang her was fired for numerous incompetencies.

Thanks for your input; I’ll keep you informed