It is embarassing to have a store clerk assume you have stolen from them. You need thicker skin. Verifying that items being removed have been paid for is NOT assuming you have stolen, any more than checking an ID when you pay by check is assuming you are a forger. Would you want somebody else to be able to withdraw cash from your bank account just because you wouldn't want the bank to embarrass that person by assuming he/she was a thief? Or would you prefer that the bank verify that the person removing money from your account is actually you?
"Would you want somebody else to be able to withdraw cash from your bank account just because you wouldn't want the bank to embarrass that person by assuming he/she was a thief? Or would you prefer that the bank verify that the person removing money from your account is actually you?"
You raise a good point. I was in my bank the other day, and a customer had written a check to "cash" to get some money. The teller asked to see her ID. The customer went ballistic on the teller, with the usual "I've been banking here for 10 years, blah, blah, blah."
The teller countered with, "I've only been working here one month, and I have not seen you before. I'm asking to see your ID because I do not know you, and don't want anyone to fraudulently access your account."
The customer blustered a bit longer, but appeared to have gotten the point.
This is a situation that has bothered me for a long time. Walmart is big on performing these bag checks at the door. I finally decided to do some research and my findings were that SCOTUS has ruled on this and the stores have no right to perform this search. If I remember correctly it falls with-in the area of contracts for good & services. Once the transaction is completed (a contract for the exchange of product you want and you have currency that they want) the goods are your private property.
The blow-back on making an issue is the store can ban you from trespassing on their private property in the future.