John has a bit of advice for iPad owners: don’t use the device in public. At least, don’t use it for price comparisons at a Best Buy with particularly clueless loss prevention staff unless you want to be accused of theft and have the police show up. He writes that this happened to him while checking some prices on his iPad.
I went to best buy a few months ago to look at Macbook Pros. I happened to bring along a iPad 32GB with snapshots of competing prices. After seeing what Best Buy had to offer i decided to leave. That is where the trouble started. I was carrying my iPad out in the open, when security demanded me to show a receipt for the iPad. I told them i do not have a receipt due to not purchasing the device at Best Buy. He proceeded to demand that i show proof of ownership. I told him that I am not required to do so as he doesn’t have reasonable doubt that it was stolen. He then threatened me by stating that he will call the authorities if i do not comply and that i will be held here until they arrived. I told him that i will be leaving this store.
He proceeded to stand in my way again demanding that i show proof. I told him again, Unless you have a warrant i am not going to show you the data on my device. The police show up about 10 minutes latter. I explain to them that this is my personal device, and that the store falsely accused me of stealing the iPad that i brought in with me. They asked for proof, and that is when i showed how much of an ass the Security was.
I said, “Here are the ways you could have known that this was mine, For one the device is SOLD OUT. Your store doesn’t have them in stock. Two, The backs of the demo units have written in Bold Lettering “FOR DEMO USE ONLY, NOT FOR RESALE” Three, the demo units are 16GB models, mine is 32GB. Finally, if i stole it why would i keep it in clear view?”
The Police looked at me in shock. They then said you are free to go. The store manager was asking me why i didn’t tell the security this in the first place. I simply told him, why should i have to?
The issue is this, i use my iPad as a travel and shopping companion. Why should I be hustled every time I shop?
The problem, of course, is that while employees might be used to customers consulting their smartphones while shopping, carrying around a tablet is a new enough phenomenon that pioneers like John will, indeed, be hassled.
More From Consumerist
-
Hey Best Buy, If You Want Us To Shop There, Try Selling People Stuff
-
Best Buy Screws Up, Now I Can’t Get A T-Mobile Account
-
Man Accused Of Impersonating Cop For Free McDonald's Can Afford His Own Burgers, Okay?
-
Yep, Shoppers Started Camping Out For Black Friday This Wednesday
-
This Amateurish Sign Pretty Much Sums Up All Of Best Buy's Problems
Just keep walking like you never heard them. You’re under no obligation to listen to them or give a response. The burden of proof is on the store to show they followed procedure. They can either physically assault you nothing happens. If they do assault you, you can probably sue them since there is no way they saw you take anything.
For such a high profile, in demand, loss prevention sensitive product, all the OP had to do was SHOW it to Security when you walked in! All this posturing and legal manuevering would have been avoided. I’m sure the OP knew, in the back of his mind, just a tad bit, this might happen.
I said, “Here are the ways you could have known that this was mine, For one the device is SOLD OUT. Your store doesn’t have them in stock. Two, The backs of the demo units have written in Bold Lettering “FOR DEMO USE ONLY, NOT FOR RESALE” Three, the demo units are 16GB models, mine is 32GB. Finally, if i stole it why would i keep it in clear view?”
Op, it sounds like you rolled in there with an agenda to cause trouble.
Here’s something my mom taught me when I was younger, if you’re going into a store with expensive electronics… it’s a good idea not to bring your expensive electronics in with you! It prevents things like this from ever happening. If you hadn’t brought your stupid iPad with all of its GB’s into the store, there never would have been an issue. Price comparisons? Are you kidding me? You couldn’t leave your toy in the car basically, and got burned for it.
Last of all, if I was going to steal something… I’d have it in plain view. You know why? Because confidently walking around with a stolen item in plain view implies it’s mine.
Best Buy Security rules say they must track you from the moment you pick up the item to the moment you attempt to leave the store in order to detain you. The security guard violated the rules.
Best Buy = A shiny turd.
Actually, the BB security guy has a legal right under the law to detain someone suspected of
shoplifting. It’s called the “Shopkeeper Exception to false imprisonment”. As long as the
detention was of limited duration, the store can detain you and be legally shielded from
prosecution for the detention but not for potential defamation.
See here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_imprisonment
Also cases like Janet Asay v. Albertsons, Inc., etc.
Not without reasonable suspicion of shoplifting. Which they did not have.
He was leaving the store with a product that the store typically carries (without paying); therefore reasonable suspicion. If the cops really wanted to nit-pick, they could have charged him (the shopper) with public mischeif for wasting their time. Because he could have easily defended himself without involving the police he essentially forced the store to call the police. It could be argued that this is like a prank call to 911, ergo wasting public moneys. Also there should be a law against having an iPad at all.
Man, when I go to best buy I just use THEIR computers for comparison shopping. Often right in front of the sales person. They love that.
You should have asked the security guard if they stole the cell phone on his hip. Do they check everyone with an cell phone?
1st mistake: Going to Best Buy…
kudos for you to standing up to these morons.
Seems to me Loss Prevention should have made sure they, at least…
1-saw the OP take item
2-saw the OP try to conceal, even if concealing meant acting as if it was his own
3-asked the OP if he’d like to pay for item (at which time he could say that he already bought it)
before accusing him of stealing.
OP was probably uncooperative with them because he was offended that they would accuse him
The nerve of those security guards trying to do their jobs! You are such a pompous ASS. You were carrying an iPad, the store sells iPads, of course you looked a little suspicious. If someone can’t be confronted under those circumstances then any “dumb criminal” could just walk out confidently with whatever they wanted and then get really INDIGNANT when anyone says anything about it. The worst part is, you only had to say a few words to clear up the whole misunderstanding, and instead you drag the process out and act like an uncooperative jerk. The police never needed to be called, and you’re the one to blame, not the security guards. The police could have been somewhere else doing something actually worthwhile. You use the excuse that your iPad is a “travel and shopping companion”, then take it with you to the grocery store or car shopping, but leave it home when you go to Best Buy where someone may think you stole it. Can you not remember a few prices long enough to go in and check Best Buy’s? Do you have a pen?
Hmmm…I work at BestBuy. First thing being that we have a no “interference” policy. We can approach a suspected shoplifter and offer to help ,but in no way detain someone as they feel theft isn’t worth the life of an employee should he detain an unhinged idiot with nothing to lose. Second, when you enter the store carrying a device that we sell you are required to get a pink sticker before shopping , this is common knowledge and would have been suggested to you had you had the device out in the open upon entry. That very act is to insure that this type of stupidity can be avoided. He was doing his job, while you sir, we being an egotistical ass reigning your supposed superiority over the mere inferior pee-on who would dare question your motives. Try working with the generic masses once in awhile to gain some perspective as to how the other half lives…and thinks.
So, what you are saying is… If the BB security followed policy, none of this would have happened, Correct? The Security guard caused all of this mess. The rest of your point is gibberish.
Actually, his reply is making a very good & valid point. That yes the BB security guy was not following the correct procedure, but the OP also didn’t get his item stickered as he should have, and his attitude in dealing with the situation was one of an egotistical douchewad whose air of superiority dictated that the BB guy was obligated to believe the iPad was his just because he said it.
Good job, John. If this ever happened to me, I would freakin’ picket the store involved for a week, minimum. What a’holes, eh?
The poster is lucky the Best Buy security people didn’t throw him to the ground, break the iPad, and choke him. If Forever XXI can do it, why not BestBuy? One cannot exactly expect reasonable behavior from employees who probably barely make minimum wage.
Nobody ever has a RIGHT to beat anyone else up because they make a low wage, except MAYBE the CEO exploiting them, and hopefully in a dark alley as violently as possible. But since you seem to want customers to get beat up and violated, I hope that happens to you some day as well and then I’d like to hear how fast your little opinion changes.
First off best buy was taking precaution for their products. If you have ever shopped at best buy and brought in a product you would have known a pink sticker is required. You could have eluded the whole situation if you would have done something as simple as that.
Also, all macbooks are the same price. Apple price locks them in retail stores.
You’re an idiot.
If you’re bringing expensive electronics into a store that sells electronics, don’t be surprised when the security guard asks to see a receipt when you leave the store. And when he does, just prove that its yours (which is easy… so easy) and move on with your day.
Enjoy going through your life creating unnecessary hurdles for yourself. I’ll be laughing at you while common sense and reason guide me
Damn BB security… same thing happened to me when I was walking out of their store after comparing prices on my 52″ Sony Bravia LED TV… Bastards..
First of all your an idiot for taking an electronic device that the store sells into the store without notifying someone that works there. How would you feel if you owned a store where you sold a hot ticket item that costs over 400 dollars and someone just walked right in without letting you know that it was their property and tried to walk out the store with it. You would feel the same way. Any other retailer that you go to marks your product with a sticker of some sort to identify that it is yours. So to tell you the truth you had it comming.
This IDIOCY is completely preventable by Best Buy. Have a procedure where “suspect devices” can be registered by the blue or yellow shirt nazi when the customer first walks in if they are going to act this way when people walk out.
But even without that, HELLO why can’t they play the tape SHOWING the customer walking in WITH THEIR OWN DEVICE?
The fact they don’t offer something like this proves they are stupid nazi morons more interested in punishing and harassing customers (their income base) than selling to them. They deserve an absolute swarm of Ipad owners descending on them hundreds at a time at a peak holiday shopping time to teach them a lesson, with each one dialing 911 when stopped at the front door.
Obviously this will continue escalating until people start beating the “guards” within inches of their lives or running them over when they leave their shifts and walk into the parking lot, and then the policy will change to “sanity” mode. Not that I want that, but this is where it is headed, because people get apeshit when you touch them or THEIR high tech, high dollar property, not to mention tell them they don’t have the right to research their purchases or save money in a bad economy. Hello…If BB hadn’t done FAKE websites with different prices and play bait and switch games where 70% of their floor models are NEVER IN STOCK, they wouldn’t have this problem.
If an Iphone owner has the right to research purchases, why not an IPad user? I think Apple should join ACLU and file some BAZILLION dollar civil suit against BB over this.
Either way, you really have to ask yourself if $6.00 an hour is worth harassing people and violating their civil rights for.
Couldn’t agree more with ctbails’ assessment. Best Buy has a right to question customers for things they find suspicious, that’s why they have a loss prevention department. The OP asking the cops “Why should I have to?” when they ask why he didn’t explain all his reasons to the security guy in the first place is idiotic to say the least. The answer is because you claiming you owned the product already and brought it into the store doesn’t obligate the LP guy to believe you. As off-protocol as the LP guy at Best Buy was being – I worked for BB in high school and the LP guys explained to me that you have to see the person pick up the item & can’t ever lose sight of them before you make an accusation – it’s not like he was completely out of his mind for asking this dude to prove ownership before walking out of the store with an item they sell that he didn’t have stickered by LP or in plain view when he walked in. It’s not like LP guys are expected to know if an item is out of stock or the GB size of the floor model iPads (much less the GB size of the OP’s ipad). So the answer to the OP’s stupid question of “Why should I have to?” is so you don’t waste 15 minutes of your own or the cops time just to embarrass the guy when you were the one who screwed up in the first place by not getting the damn thing stickered. Just standing there demanding that you don’t have to prove you own the product just makes you look more guilty. Idiot.
What if he did pull out a receipt? Given this LP’s obvious lack of knowledge about their store’s policies regarding demos and merchandise, there’s no way (without witnessing it) he could know the guy didn’t just take one out of a box and try to walk out with it.
I think the person walking in the store with his IPad was just as stupid in starting this problem, as he could have stopped at the security/customer service desk, and told these folks that he was coming in with his own property to compare prices. That would have been much simpler, than wasting the time to have law enforcement show up, and having an interaction with a clueless security guard.
He could have also came into the store with his unit in its case (if he had one), then took it out when he was ready to compare prices. His actions would have been seen on camera, and there would have been no questions asked.
Actually, I think he was being a jerk by showing off something others wanted. Some people always want the spotlight.
I work for a large retail company. I listen to security agents and what they have to go through to make an arrest. The proof of the theft is on the agents not on the “customer”. Doing this falsely can lead to law suits and doing this enough times can lead to a class action suit. Best Buy better get their ducks lined up or they open themselves to this and in this climate class action to an attorney and customers is like a free buffet.
I show the door clerk that I will be bringing my laptop into their store and ask for a receipt of the serial found on the back serial data decal. The receipt is typically an adhesive label that the clerk tells me must be attached so I politely ask if I may attach it myself and the clerk says you may, hands me the sticker and I remove 2% of the backing paper which is just enough to where it will stay securely attached but will allow for easy removal. So by cooperating with the clerk both our needs have been met. It is as simple as choosing to be courteous, respectful, and I walk away without having the label permanently glued to my laptop. As I leave the clerk confirms the serial number, which takes but a moment, and everything is good. I could be wrong but it seems we make problems for ourselves and when a conflict emerges we sometimes cannot admit to being wrong or at least to agree to disagree. Is the problem based in the struggle to maintain power and control? Do we fear admitting to being wrong because we have something to lose? No really, I’d like to know why such a simple thing as going into a store with a laptop has to be such a tremendous struggle for some people?
I show the door clerk that I will be bringing my laptop into their store and ask for a receipt of the serial found on the back serial data decal. The receipt is typically an adhesive label that the clerk tells me must be attached so I politely ask if I may attach it myself and the clerk says you may, hands me the sticker and I remove 2% of the backing paper which is just enough to where it will stay securely attached but will allow for easy removal. So by cooperating with the clerk both our needs have been met. It is as simple as choosing to be courteous, respectful, and I walk away without having the label permanently glued to my laptop. As I leave the clerk confirms the serial number, which takes but a moment, and everything is good. I could be wrong but it seems we make problems for ourselves and when a conflict emerges we sometimes cannot admit to being wrong or at least to agree to disagree. Is the problem based in the struggle to maintain power and control? Do we fear admitting to being wrong because we have something to lose? No really, I’d like to know why such a simple thing as going into a store with a laptop has to be such a tremendous struggle for some people?
hey smart guy. it is probable cause, not reasonable doubt. you are thinking about the 4th amend i assume. not the standard of proof required to convict in a criminal case. and a best buy security guy is not subjected to the 4th amend because he is not acting under the color of law. now you might be able to sue civilly or have him charged with a misdemeanor, but you can’t sue him citing violation of const rights as, again, he is not acting under color of law. in other words, only a law enforcement officer or other specific govt agent can violate 4th. lastly, if i owned that store (take the words best buy off and call it mom and pop) and if i stood to lose $500 on a gay ipad, i would shake people down too. but, of course, you do not look at it from that point of view do you because you are a smart guy. and too bad you didn’t get pepper sprayed or tased. next time you should let the dude do his job and not be a smart guy because you obviously are not as sharp as you think .
I DON’T USE THE WORD “HERO” VERY OFTEN….
I worked at BB, they can’t really do anything unless they have you on tape stealing. If they were pretty sure someone stole something, they would be blunt and ask the person, but they couldn’t do much else unless they had them on tape.
Actually, having worked for Best Buy in the DC area, I can tell you that the Best Buy security guard violated Best Buy’s internal policy. They have to catch you on camera picking up the device, and follow you through out your time in the store while you have the device. If they catch you concealing it, or opening the box or walking out with the device, they can detain you until the cops arrive. If you happen to just have the unboxed device on you and the security guard didn’t see you actually steal it, then they can’t detain you. He should also only ask for a receipt for boxed items or items in a shopping bag.
yep. illegal detainment. harassment. assault.
What a bullshit story.
“Here are the ways you could have known that this was mine, For one the device is SOLD OUT. Your store doesn’t have them in stock. Two, The backs of the demo units have written in Bold Lettering “FOR DEMO USE ONLY, NOT FOR RESALE” Three, the demo units are 16GB models, mine is 32GB”.
He went to the store to look at MacBook Pros, and he somehow just happens to know all this information about their iPad stocks?
Second, who the **** takes an iPad with them shopping? LOL. Everybody knows Best Buy has ALL their computers internet ready. If you want to price check, you can do so from their computers.
And price checking a Mac? AHAHAHAHA. Those have very consistent pricing. And even more hilarious is why he would go INTO the store to compare prices, when you could just price check from their website.
Not only that.. but it’s pretty easy to write down prices on a sheet of paper, rather than lug your fucking iPad into the store.
Either a total fake story, or “John” is a complete moron. Hence the reason he even bought an iPad in the first place. Fucking loser.