I was accused of shoplifting and almost arrested today at CVS due to my appearance

Hi ladies!! So today I had quite an experience...

My mother and I were at CVS shopping for about 15 minutes before I checked out. I purchased a lipstick, handed the clerk my cvs card, and used ECB so it ended up being free. We went out to my car to leave and 2 police officers blocked my car in and demanded we get out. They told us the store called and is accusing us not only of shoplifting products today, but that that they think I have been stealing from them for MONTHS. The officers said they had been instructed to look for makeup, baby items, printer ink, medications and more 

My car and purse were completely searched through and they did background checks on us. I had 3 lipsticks on me...the one I just purchased (and had my receipt for) and 2 that cvs does not sell. In the back seat of my car I had a few magazines and bags with items we'd been out shopping for. That included one ink cartridge my mom bought. She couldn't find her reciept so THANK GOD she paid by credit card because the officers called the store she bought it at and verified she had just purchased it (it was also not one of the ink #'s the store claimed was stolen). The officers then said they were going in to review the store footage. After some time they came out and told us it cleared us and showed we did nothing wrong, but that the store was still 100% certain I was a thief and did not want my mom or I shopping there anymore. If we came back to the store they would call the cops and we would be arrested.

At this point the officers are like why did they even call us with no proof of wrongdoing? The officers went back inside to question the manager and associate who called and were told that I fit the "physical profile" of someone who would steal (because of my pink hair) and I'm in the store multiple times a week and often purchase nothing which they felt is suspicious. As you all know I'm constantly out running to cvs, walgreens, target etc looking for limited edition makeup displays and deals. Sometimes I'm just in and out if I don't see what I'm looking for. I guess my appearance and frequent store visits instantly qualified me to be the person who'd been stealing?

So the officers told us we were free to go...they would be taking no action against us not even a warning, but to stay the hell away from that store because they are dying to pin something on me for whatever reason.Words seriously cannot express how not only embarrassing, but scary it is to have cops search and threaten to arrest you when you know you've done nothing wrong. And even worse is knowing I'd been shopping there for months and they were secretly watching me hoping to spot me stealing something. So now I'm banned from shopping there (not like I'd choose to go back anyways).

The funny thing is I've actually been named student of the month and citizen of the year by the fort myers police department in the past. They need to teach their employees to stop making assumtions about customers based on their appearance. Not every person who looks different is a criminal

I posted a complaint onto their facebook wall if any of you would be so kind as to like, comment on or share my experience so it's not ignored. I'm still debating whether or not to take legal action against the store

https://www.facebook.com/CVS/posts/10151135685143116

I will be calling their customer service when they open back up on Monday, but I want something to be done about it before then so hopefully if my fb post generates enough interest they will take it seriously. Thank you

I would contact an attorney. Immediately.

That is terrible. I have bright teal hair, and the people at my local CVS are also assholes to me. It's to the point now where I only bring my wallet inside, and even if they don't have what I am looking for I buy a drink or candy. I can't believe this happened. I'm definitely going to be commenting on that link you posted. I hope this all gets sorted out, and that it never happens again. 

Sorry to hear this .Sound really awful and unlawful......... I wish I could tell you legally what to do, but at least you have the pleasure of never shopping at that store again. I cant tell you the types of people that are in my CVS in an urban area in terms of sketchy and no one blinks an eye, so to have them persecute you with no evidence besides dyed hair is not right. Sorry that you had to go through this, I can't really imagine, especially with your mother there! I feel like both the cops and store should have apologized, and I feel like they have no right to search you once outside of the store (unless you consented).

Definitely contact CVS and go up the chain. Get an attorney if need be because that is ridiculous and totally wrong. My sympathies to you and your mom for having to endure that bs!

Thanks for your support ladies. I should mention that the police officers were thorough and did their jobs, but they were quite nice also. Nothing was done against my will....I offered to let them search my purse and car because I had absolutely nothing to hide. After more and more was pointing to cvs discriminating against me they definitely felt sorry for us. They could have written us warnings or sided with the store blindly and they didn't so I'm very thankful for that. I am in no way upset with them

For sure, the police were doing their job and responding. I'm not saying dirty cops don't exist, but they're responding and walking into situations blind or with little info. It's great they were professional and courteous, plus you made yourself less "suspicious" by being honest and cooperative. The fault lies with CVS and their employees.

Originally Posted by Fairest of all /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for your support ladies. I should mention that the police officers were thorough and did their jobs, but they were quite nice also. Nothing was done against my will....I offered to let them search my purse and car because I had absolutely nothing to hide. After more and more was pointing to cvs discriminating against me they definitely felt sorry for us. They could have written us warnings or sided with the store blindly and they didn't so I'm very thankful for that. I am in no way upset with them

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The officers were just doing their job and while it is embarrassing I have no problem with what they did. I would have a big problem with what the store did though. I would definitely be calling corporate office and filing an official complaint. Judging from some of their FB comments they are pretty crappy to others as well.

Where I live no one would even blink at pink hair...that's SoCal for you lol. They are probably suspicious of me because I look too "normal".

Either way, we love you and your pink hair to bits here at MuT

Wow that is incredibly wrong and makes me angry for you! I would take legal action because they did discriminate against you.

Sue them for defamation. That is obviously NOT right!

Sue CVS.  The officers may have been doing their job but the employees that called the police had no just cause.  They did not see you steal anything.  Even if you fit some profile, they would still have to have proof. 

OMG I cant even imagine if I were in the situation you faced! How dare they assume like that because you have pink hair WTF???

I would take action right away. Also, the police should have done their homework first and checked why the store got them to stop and search you BEFORE they did!

I am going to leave a comment on their facebook page... this is shocking.

It sounds like the most of it was that you were in there all the time, and you have a distinctive look that they recognize immediately. I can't even imagine the "stealing" budget these stores have. I know there's another word for it, but my brain isn't all in gear at the moment.

I'm not sure a lawyer would be of much help without spending more money than the incident is worth, but a scathing letter (maybe even from a lawyer) might result in a fat gift card! (That you could use at a different CVS)? This isn't a store we have. But we have Walgreens and Rite-Aid. Probably close to the same. There's probably another one nearby enough.

As an aside, my best friend lives in Ft. Meyers. She has a pesticide company and I'm seriously proud of her achievements... after we were both stupid early 20's girls in San Francisco in the 80's.

Kelly

Sue them. You will win.

Commented on you FB post. Hopefully if enough people cause a ruckus CVS will take this event seriously. I'm sorry this happened to you. My friends and I did the same things as teenagers and while they always kept a closer eye on us, the cops were NEVER called to search us. That is beyond mortifying and it's terrifying that though you did nothing wrong you had to go through that and can no longer shop at a store you frequented often before (not that you'd want to).

That's ridiculous, I feel bad you had to go through all that. The other day at walmart they were having a knife show and they gave out free samples so my mom got one and when we were walking out some lady said that we apparently left without paying for the knife, I had to explain that it was a free sample and after that being confirmed we got to leave. But I was so mad cause all employees should be aware of what goes on so they dont confuse with them stealing. I hope something gets done about your situation that is really unfair

What a horrible experience - so sorry you had to go throught that. Bravo to you for handling it so well. Completely unacceptable behavior by CVS.

Sue CVS for discrimination and find the name of the manager who was targeting you and slap them with a slander suit.
 

Originally Posted by DBGenevieve /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Sue them. You will win.

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I don't think it will come to that. An attorney is a good thing to have, which is why I suggested talking to one, but I really think this could be settled without going to court.

Most companies have policies that even if they know that you took something, if they didn't see you actually put it in your bag/pocket, they can't do anything. Probably so they don't get sued, which I would do since they obviously had no real reason to call the police on you.