fuzion

today i made a visit to the Canadian Tire store at Markham and 14th avenue

after 5 minutes of being in the store, i noticed i was being followed by a caucasian in a hoodie and sagging pants... trying not to pay attention to the individual, i continued to browse for the items i intended to purchase at the store.

after 30 minutes of looking for the item, i noticed that the individual was still following me but was trying to stay discreet by looking at different items on the shelf.

at this point, i put down the items i had intended to purchase and proceeded to leave the store. at the doors, i was greeted by 2 uniformed officers with hands on handgun (in holster). i proceeded to leave the store as they didn't try to stop me. when i reached my car, the caucasian individual grabs my shoulder and swings me around and asks me whats in my pocket, i pull out a Hella projector foglight that i had brought in (i was looking to make a housing and walked in with the item in hand (the individual followed me from the moment i entered the store at the front doors)

at that moment, i was very tempted to take aggressive action but decided to call the GM instead..

when i placed a call to the GM of the store, i explained the situation and he immediately hung up. i attempt to call back and the GM picks up the phone and hangs up again.

This is very unprofessional actions being taken by both security (company employed is JMC Legal Services) and by the GM of the store. This store is considered Canadian Tire's #1 store in customer service, but from this experience, i hope people know better.

now before anyone asks me how i was dressed and if i deserved to be followed around the store, i was dressed very business casual today in fitted khaki's and a tucked in polo shirt and a leather jacket. in no way to i look like a punk.

Gallagher

sue them for harrassment

k_r_a_c_k_e_r

iTrader: (3)

I'v had that happen to me a few times.. once at walmart and twice at canadian tire.

the GM hanging up on you is very unprofessional.. you should go back and talk to him in person.

Nova_Dust

A very bad experience needless to say.

viper_2_4

wow, ya that is pretty bad

szuberi

file a report or do something...otherwise this will happen to someone else. sue them for harassment for sure.

rjngo

lost prevention people sucks!

ForSale

Damm, that is messed up, i never knew that could happen, i have been in stores with stuff i had just bought from elsewhere as opened item in my pocket/hand

But the way you were decribing it sounds like some cops looking for a bad guy, dude, you should have showed them the product you had and make them do an inventory search and when the item vin didn't match you could have sued their asses right there. I'd never let a pig treat me that way, but its happening alot, innocent people are getting in the mix.

xxSLiMxx

iTrader: (1)

Looking like a punk has nothing to do with it, the most common type of person to steal something its males 20-40 dressed in business suits. I know this because iv had securtiy/loss prevention tranning and these are just some of the things you learn. None the less loss prevention people do suck. Also keep in mind it is the time of the season for lots of shoplifting. so they are going to watch anyone who they think is going to steal something.

scary.robot

I'm not criticizing; from what you say, sounds like you were just doing your thing, but why didn't you confront the "caucasian individual" in the store?

I would have probably started a conversation with him.

You seem to make a point of describing the guy as caucasian. Are you something different than caucasian and now you feel discriminated against?

This misconception happens to me sometimes. Once I was at McMaster University and this group of South Asian students were talking loudly in the "quiet zone". So, I asked them to be quiet. Still, I wondered if they thought I was being racist because I was silencing their group. One fellow started giving me dirty looks...meh, maybe it was just that guy.

Sometimes I think people feel discriminated against and its totally their own state of mind. I find its best to give people the benifit of the doubt.

In the subtext of your message, I tend to get the feeling the individual being caucasian is significant to your story, especially since he swung you around by the shoulder.

Correct me if I am wrong.

kruption

Had this happen to me at a Target store in Vermont. I noticed this guy following me around for a good 10 mins. I just went to the magazine section, pick up some magazine with chicks in bikini's and asked the guy if he'd hit it. He gave me an annoyed look and took off.

You have rights like everyone else in this country. You did the right thing in not assaulting the guy and what he did to you was also incorrect if it went down like you said it did. I'd forget the manager in question and go to the person above him or person above that person. Also contacting the security company might be worthwhile.

If it went down like this, I'd take steps to make sure it wouldn't happen to someone else or yourself if you're a regular at the store.

While my knowledge of law is low, I'm pretty sure security goons can only make a citizen's arrest like a civilian can and they can't touch you without proper reason?

Educate me on this one (HI MARK) as I suck at law.

bruce fee

the cracker probably followed you around cause you look korean.

zyepher

me+parking+grabbing me= LOL

scary.robot

well it depends where they grab me, but yeah I agree...

i'd be laughing.

(laughs out loud)

ForSale

Valid points dude, thanks for the info i was not aware of the information you described.

Seems like this has happened to many people, i think the best move would be to confront the person who's stalking us.

I could see, just ignoring them or walking off leaving things, does look suspecious to them.

Cynikal.Mindset

clearly this LPO didnt do his job as he has to see you pick up an item, conceal it, and leave with it...if you came in with an item then there was nothing to hide or not pay for it...this LPO sucks!

05CivicSi

By the sounds of it I'm not sure if you walked into the store with the item in your hands or in your pocket. Quick stop at customer service by the door and this could have been avoided. That guy at best buy that greets you at the door, he's looking to see that you arent bringing anything into the store that you might switch out for something in the store...shoplifting is a big loss for stores.

In my opinion the LPO should have confronted you as soon as you leave the store (exit the double doors). I'm unsure as to if the shoulder grab was harrassment. He did have suspicion and you did have something in your pocket.

If there were cops there before you left, that is a rather quick response to a minor call, this store might be having some bigger issues??

It's not a very fun process, no matter which end you are on. Customer or Employee, I've been both.

Cynikal.Mindset

the LPO had no grounds to stop him...as there are steps involved to apprehend a "shoplifter"...like I said before the LPO has to witness you pick up the merchandise, and then not take his/her eyes off you, then he must witness you not pay for the merchandise that he/she saw you pick up off the shelf...by the sound of the story the LPO didnt do his job correctly

05CivicSi

or he misstook him replacing the foglight in his pocket for an item off the shelf. Maybe he was thinking fuzion was switching it out for an item off the shelf?

He could very well have seen him put it in his pocket & followed him out.

Switching parts or even tag switching is pretty commom, so maybe that was his thinking?

05CivicSi

I don't condone his method of confronting, he should have hendled that differently.