The Best Buy searches

I went to Best Buy and bought a new HDTV. I got a 50″ Plasma, a table to put it on, and a surround sound system for it. I was replacing my 6 year old rear projection HDTV. The new set looks great, but that is not the point.

The Best Buy in south Orlando is set up so that when you leave the registers, you approach the exit from a direction that is completely different from people who are exiting the store that haven’t bought anything. That is, if you are leaving the store from that direction, you had to have passed through the check out.

After leaving the check out, there is a guy that stands there and always wants to look at your receipt. Now, this isn’t just Best Buy. Most stores around here now do this, and it annoys me. It is like the store is saying “We think you are a criminal.”

So, about a year ago, I stopped doing it. When they ask for my receipt, I ignore them and just keep walking. I do not steal, and my stuff is in a bag that has your store’s name on it. You have no reason to search me, so I am not going to allow it. If they don’t like it, I don’t care. I am not breaking the law, you have no reasonable suspicion that I am, and you are not going to search me. The simple fact that I am leaving your store with merchandise does not mean that I stole it. After all, the whole point of you even having a store, is having people leave it with merchandise. I bet hundreds of people leave that store every day with merchandise.

The guard at the store, and the woman next to him, yelled at my back as I left the store. The guy telling me to stop, and the woman calling me a rude jerk. Funny thing is, no one considers it rude to accuse you of stealing and demand that you be searched.

What is wrong with this country that we think this behavior is acceptable and necessary?

One reply on “The Best Buy searches”

I did that a few years back. They ran in front of me and blocked my exit. I told them if they had evidence that I had taken something (I hadn't) that they would need to call the police. They said they would, and one of the two people started to walk off. I said "I'd love to talk to them about how you two are detaining me against my will–you know–unlawful imprisonment, maybe even kidnapping". They froze. A few moments later the police showed up. I refused to give them any ID other than my name, and I explained the situation. The officer was great–he asked the same question: "Did you or anyone see him steal something?". 'No' was the answer. I asked him if it was considered 'unlawful detainment' for them to prevent me from leaving. 'Something like that…do you want to file a complaint?'. I said 'no' and left.

Never went back, but my wife has. She said she's never seen anyone at the doors.

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