Home Depot in class-action suit for shake down of shoplifters
通過 TomoNews US
27 流覽量
A class-action lawsuit is being brought against Home Depot, the big box chain retailer, for allegedly shaking down shoplifters for unreasonable sums of money.
The suit is being brought against the store by Jimin Chen, a California man who says he was bullied by a store security guard during a misunderstanding over two pairs of gloves, then sent two threatening letters by Home Depot's lawyers, demanding large sums of money.
Chen went to the Home Depot in San Leandro, a town in San Francisco's Bay Area on June 6 with a friend. The two purchased lumber and supplies that totaled almost $1500. To load the lumber onto the two carts they used, they used gloves taken off the shelf in the store. Each pair was priced at $3.99.
The complaint goes on to explain that check-out lines were particularly long that day and to make things more efficient, a customer service representative was sent out to tally purchases with a handheld scanner. During this process, Chen and his friend were wearing the work gloves.
Chen got to the cash register, took off the gloves, placed them on his other merchandise, then paid his bill of $1,445.90. He neglected to pay for the gloves and the person at the counter didn't notice them. Before leaving the store, a man who said he was a security guard stopped the two shoppers for stealing the gloves, then took them to a small, stuffy room for 30 minutes.
In that room, the guard asked for their details and told them to sign a document saying they wouldn't enter the store for 90 days. Chen and his friend initially refused, but because the room was so stuffy, Chen suffered an asthma attack and got agitated. He asked to leave to get an inhaler from his car, but the guard refused and handcuffed him. Eventually, the customers relented.
On June 10, Chen got a letter from Palmer Reifler, Home Depot's law firm, asking for $350 to settle the shoplifting claim. On July 5, he got a letter demanding $625. He didn't deliver on either request. Chen is now bringi
The suit is being brought against the store by Jimin Chen, a California man who says he was bullied by a store security guard during a misunderstanding over two pairs of gloves, then sent two threatening letters by Home Depot's lawyers, demanding large sums of money.
Chen went to the Home Depot in San Leandro, a town in San Francisco's Bay Area on June 6 with a friend. The two purchased lumber and supplies that totaled almost $1500. To load the lumber onto the two carts they used, they used gloves taken off the shelf in the store. Each pair was priced at $3.99.
The complaint goes on to explain that check-out lines were particularly long that day and to make things more efficient, a customer service representative was sent out to tally purchases with a handheld scanner. During this process, Chen and his friend were wearing the work gloves.
Chen got to the cash register, took off the gloves, placed them on his other merchandise, then paid his bill of $1,445.90. He neglected to pay for the gloves and the person at the counter didn't notice them. Before leaving the store, a man who said he was a security guard stopped the two shoppers for stealing the gloves, then took them to a small, stuffy room for 30 minutes.
In that room, the guard asked for their details and told them to sign a document saying they wouldn't enter the store for 90 days. Chen and his friend initially refused, but because the room was so stuffy, Chen suffered an asthma attack and got agitated. He asked to leave to get an inhaler from his car, but the guard refused and handcuffed him. Eventually, the customers relented.
On June 10, Chen got a letter from Palmer Reifler, Home Depot's law firm, asking for $350 to settle the shoplifting claim. On July 5, he got a letter demanding $625. He didn't deliver on either request. Chen is now bringi