Pineville, NC – A pregnant woman shopping at Staples says she was confronted about what she was concealing beneath her shirt: “Twins,” she said.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Sherell Bates tells WSOC-TV she was at the register paying for back-to-school supplies Friday when a police officer had her step aside and explain what was under her shirt.
Bates says she explained that she’s 34 weeks pregnant with a boy and a girl, but he didn’t believe her, so she lifted up her shirt to expose her belly. She says “no mom should have to go through that.”
A Stapes statement says a manager at the store in Pineville, North Carolina, “mistakenly thought they were possibly shoplifting.” It says the manager apologized and the transaction was refunded, because “we want all customers to feel welcome in our store.”
___
Information from: WSOC-TV, http://www.wsoctv.com
Was she jewish?
Staples is the worst
My understanding of the law was that no matter where someone puts unpaid items and what their intent might be, it is not shoplifting or stealing till they pass the door.
She was Black; she should sue Staples for intentional infliction of mental distress, invasion of privacy, illegal detention, and harassment. Staples has acknowledged that it was wrong in that instance.
That’s crazy. Poor woman to have to go through that kind of harassment.
vox reports that the manager was subsequently fired
To #6 - I only mentioned the ethnic origin of the victim, because #1 wanted to know if she was Jewish. I did not intend to be derogatory, as I was only answering #1 . Incidentally, I think that it was despicable the way this person was treated.
This is just the security folks doing their job. If we make an issue out of this, what can we say to the TSA whose searches are far beyond the needed security but clearly abusive, intrusive, and stark violations of privacy? It is awful that today’s wanton crime and terror has made these forms of enforcement necessary. We have systems that treat criminals and terrorists with the kind of kid gloves that completely obliterate any deterrent. We refer to terrorists as “militants”, invaders as victims of persecution, and shoplifters as impoverished victims. We need to hold people responsible. Don’t you think that there have been pregnant shoplifters?
To #11 - The TSA personnel are useless and worthless pieces of garbage. In 17 years, they have never apprehended one terrorist. All they are good for is stealing people’s cash and other valuables, as well as harassing old ladies, old men, pregnant women, and small children!
What’s ridiculous is that this story is making national news, and I believe we all know why. Manager lost his/her job, sad times were living in…