[jimmyray]

Perhaps. But Company rules that guided the Store Managers behavior may be inflexible on the matter. If he bent them, he may be subject to dismissal, for all we know. Inflexible rules like that are often put in place to avoid charges of racism, sexism, etc. by the perpetrators and their lawyers.

No one is disputing the fact they stole the sandwiches, though. It is unlikely they would have paid for them if they had not been caught.

[skeeter]

No one is disputing that they didn’t pay for the sandwiches. The “perps” are most certainly disputing she “stole” the sandwiches, as the term conveys intent.

[cuban leaf]

—It is unlikely they would have paid for them if they had not been caught.—

I’ve accidentally walked out of stores and not paid for stuff lots of times in my life. Every time I go back and pay except once. I had a ten pack of film under a big bag of dogfood at Costco and both me and the clerk missed it. I left it in the car to pay the next day but forgot. A couple months later I found it under one of my seats and tried again but it just never happened.

Fortunately the statute of limitations is up on it or I’d never be confessing. ;-)

[cuban leaf]

"My clients thought they were being arrested for stealing a can of tuna."