Posted on 07/08/2005 10:32:59 AM PDT by flashbunny
incompetence by a highly trained (ha) home depot clerk is kinda hard to imagine, eh?
Thank you.
People often write to the poster of a thread as though they were the author. You seemed to answer some questions, so I wanted to make sure that you were not coincidently also the person in the article.
I would want more information...and I guess that is what the 'publicity' will help accopmlish.
Could be, but there's has got to be more to this story. I can't imagine Home Depot having someone arrested for a $10.00 oversight after having spent well over $800.00.
The story doesn't pass the smell test. I'm not sure why you have an axe to grind with HD, but you are reacting way overboard to this story.
BTW, the number for the home depot in question is (414)329-1366. Just purely for informational purposes
I just called the number and was rudely! spoken to by some
"Customer service" jerk.
Everyone should Call and demand they drop the charges!
Stupid idiots cant even arrest the real thieves and ruin the life of an honest person. if I was that father I would cancel the charges and return every item bought on the credit card. Screw Home Depot.!
Call the number.
For $9.90...normally the cops won't even handle it. The store cop will issue a ticket and a minor crime court will simply take the evidence, and normally make you pay $300 and bar you from shopping at the store. I had two store detectives tell me that its not worth much to the store to turn these minor cases into huge episodes. Something smells funny about this whole thing. The clerk could have fixed the episode...but didn't. The detectives usually attempt to get the guy prior to reaching the car.
"Hmmm.... $300/hr for legal bills? Only large corporate law firms charge this much. Sounds a little fishy."
No, that is average for an attorney.
as others have posted, they apparently agressively try to go after 'shoplifters'...looks like they'll do it even when available evidence indicates it's not a good thing to do.
If he goes to court he'll be found not-guilty. It is the "intention" to steal that will get you found guilty. He had no intent to steal the saw blade.
Fair enough. But based on your screenname, I'm guessing you do patent work. I would be surprised if the average civil litigator at a small or mid-size firm would charge $300/hr.
That is how it appears on the surface.
No, that is average for an attorney.
$300's pretty high. I'm a 5th year associate at a large DC law firm and my billing rate is only $260.
The guy spends over $800.00 and is cleared by the cashier to go ahead and leave after the inventory control alarm sounds. Security follows him out to his vehicle and checks his merchandise against his receipt, but one unpaid item turns up in his cart; the cart that the cashier just cleared him to leave the store with.
Either the cashier is lying, this guy is lying about the cashier clearing him, security planted a saw-blade on this guy, or security was following this guy around and watched him lift the saw-blade. It's hard to tell who is guilty, but we obviously don't have all the facts yet.
When I did Loss Prevention, we were taught that there were five things that had to be witnessed or else charges were sure to be dropped:
1) You have to see them enter this store.
2) You have to see them select an item.
3) You have to see them conceal the item.
4) You have to see them pass the last point of purchase.
5) You have to see them leave the store.
Without ALL five of these, it's more or less impossible for the charges to stand up in court.
Do saw blades usually set off the alarm?
Did Sykese actually read the police report on the air?
The clerk that scanned, bagged and loaded the stuff into the cart is solely responsible for the matter. He is also the one responsible for acknowledging that all the merchandise was paid for and sending the guy on his way with the verbal. Home depot and it's security staff should be sued. Atty's fees don't matter, because HD should be hit hard enough, so there's plenty of cash to go around.
The security guard should be charged with battery for grabbing the guy. The evidense shows the PD made a false arrest and if the PD/DA don't clear this up fast, they are open for malicious prosecution. More cash for the victim.
Nah. I've been in HDs from CA to the Midwest. This sounds like whack job security staff, an introverted pinhead manager and incompetent cops.
It'll be interesting to see how this all turns out....
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