Falsely accused of stealing a $10 shirt by incompetent staff and even more incompetent manager.
I went to Kohl's to take my mom on a birthday shopping spree as a present for being the best mom a person could ask for. My mother had spent 3 hours going through the racks and had picked out $350 dollars worth of clothing. We were up at the front of the store ready to pay when two armed police officers approached me and said that a staff member had called them and accused me of shoplifting a t-shirt. This was in a store full of people shopping on Saturday, and in full view and earshot of all the people standing in the checkout lines five people deep. They then, still in full view of other shoppers, asked me to unbutton my shirt to prove that I had nothing under it. (Which I did not, not even a undershirt.) I was mortified, and my mom was in tears. I was thanked by the officers for my full cooperation and they walked directly out of the store.
Being extremely offended, I went to the customer service desk and asked to speak to a manager. After waiting for 15 min, no manager came and I was told to go back up front to find one there. Once I found her she was defensive, and did nothing to explain the situation. I asked her if someone had actually seen me steal something, and she said "no they thought you might have". She said that they call the police routinely at certain behaviors. I asked her to describe which particular behaviors someone thought I had exhibited and she couldn't tell me, and that she did not have all the facts about the situation. Then she said "at least you weren't arrested" ...her exact words! I said to her that I probably buy 80% of my clothes at Kohl's, and what would have happened if I had been wearing any single article of clothing that I had bought previously? Would I be in the back of the police car trying to think of where the receipts were? She said "Well that didn't happen." Unbelievable!!! that she had no idea what she had done. I told her I assumed that they had security camera footage of me, and she said "yes there were cameras everywhere", and then I said, since I have been here for several hours, of course you had time to check the footage of me before you called the police? She said "no I haven't checked it." I told her that I was offended by the store's false allegations toward me and she said "that's your decision to feel that way". She was antagonistic and belittling to my feelings and the situation. My mother was standing there with me the whole time and couldn't believe this lady would be so unaware, unprofessional, and unapologetic of what she had just thoughtlessly allowed to happen in her store.
So Idaho Falls shoppers, rest assured that you will be profiled as you walk into the Kohl's store and will be watched by incompetent, untrained staff from a distance who will call the police on you at the drop of a hat; without any visual witness, being aware of all the facts, or checking their security footage first. Not to mention that they believe that a 24 year old grown adult that's in the store shopping with their mother for her birthday, would risk their good name for a $10 dollar t-shirt while waiting up at the front of the store to pay for $350 worth of clothes in the basket.
I asked to speak to the general manager but he wasn't there, I asked for the number to the corporate office and tried calling them but they didn't answer. Now my mom's birthday is ruined and she's distraught.
A store full of people witnessed me getting searched by police while my mother was standing right there. I have a reputation and a job that requires me to be able to pass a background check (and report any legal proceedings against me) that I worked hard for years to achieve. I pride myself as being a trustworthy and an upstanding law-abiding citizen, and all of that was stripped from me in mere seconds and a police search put on display for all to see because of the unjust and false accusation by Kohl's incompetent staff and manager!!! My mom left her cart to the side and said she wouldn't be coming back to Kohl's, I also told the lady that I come there all the time and I probably wouldn't come back and she condescendingly said "that's certainly your choice."
For a town who's entire economy is based on people who have jobs at the site that require high clearance and other professions that require full background checks, false allegations could damage reputations and livelihoods. How could a store think they have the right to call the police on a whim without solid basis?
If you value your personal reputation and dignity do not shop at Kohl's!!!! There are many other local business's that value their customers and deliver excellent customer service, and will keep the money in our local community. That's where my money will be going from now on. read more
