My real argument is that they compelled me to put my property in their possession, but should my bag be stolen while under their supervision, without some kind of signature or chit, I would have no proof of having given it to them, and hence no recourse to restitution. I think this is exceedingly irresponsible. They were the ones to create a situation of distrust, yet demand that I trust them. And in this case, trust them when I know them to lie.

Well, Ralph's and Smith's are both owned by Kroger, so don't be surprised. Trader Joes? LOL In Walmartkansas? We don't even have a Costco.

I had a Kroger's security guard accuse me of shoplifting. He said he saw me doing it. His belligerence diminished as I established that he did not see me steal anything and that he would find any items I might have removed from the shelves in my mother's shopping cart. She was visiting and I had given her some money for things she needed and I added a couple things I needed. When I left the store, the only ways out were through

I wrote to the president of Kroger, with a copy to a local radio program that was likely to have an interest in such things and another copy to the local ACLU, which noted that they had been receiving more reports about retail store security lately.

At a large store like that I would expect a claim check. If it were a uniformly enforced policy they'd have a system of claim checks. I have no objection to leaving my things while I shop. In a small shop, I don't require a check but I would at a place as large as Kroger's. I would never have crossed their threshold again except they now own the Fred Meyer stores.

The trend of the future. How did they let him in with those shades?

All you guys getting up in arms about terrorists and concealed explosives -- did it ever occur to you that this store policy is probably there to prevent shoplifting?

Sheesh.

Yeah, let's get real. What are you a flucking store security Nazi?! Why don't you just advocate to remove all freedom's while you're at it? I suppose you're so damn paranoid at seeing someone with a bag or a backpack you'd run to the security people & report it, right? God I hope you never set foot any type of school campus or grounds, especially college campuses. Those dangerous people are allowed to walk from building to building with bags & backpack on.

Store policies like this are there to prevent shop lifting. They have the right to hold your bags or back pack. But there should be a sign posted & they should give you some type of claim check or ticket to reclaim it. Plus allow you to remove any & all valuables like checkbooks, etc before they take it & they should not be allowed to serach it with out your presence, permission or knowledge.

Guess what nazi I'm going on an airplane flight in Nov. And when I do my wife & I will have at least one carry on bag each. You gonna report us now?

Last Braves game I went to, they were checking bags at the gate. I emptied my backpack and stuffed all my junk in my pockets to help things along.
After looking all through the empty bag, the guard started to hand it back, then noted to two straps and said "Wait, this is a backpack, you can't bring it in here."

The lady in the next line with the 18 cubic foot, filled to the brim diaper bag went right on in.

this happened to me in a Kmart a few months back...but the person who approached me was a clerk...i was able to talk here down and grab what i needed and checked out...all the while under an absolute look of death by a couple of the plain clothes employees who look around for shoplifters...it's like they put 2 and 2 together "mid 30's male, riding a bicycle, he's got a backpack on...yep, probably a thief"

when you think about thier position, you can't blame them...maybe they have had a rash of stealing going on recently so they have to take this approach with everybody who comes in the store with a bag, purse, or certainly a backpack

I think it is often a class/age thing too. I recall walking into a store with an executive computer case and I was never hassled but my younger colleague who always used a backpack was routinely asked to leave it (with a computer inside) at the front desk. I would never leave any backpack with anyone without a receipt. I really hate the double standard of them not trusting you at the same time as you are expected to trust them with your possessions with no assurances at all.

It reminds me of my local Tim Hortons where the clerks pass every single bank note they get through a counterfeit money detector. The last time I was there for coffee I got five dollars bills back in change and I checked them through their counterfeit detector personally to make sure I wasn't getting passed any bad notes. That's fine you don't trust me, but what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

I'd suggest writing up your own receipt, with the person responsible for your bag. Make a list, and each of you can sign and date it. If they offer the service of holding your bag while you shop, they assume some limited liability for theft or damage. If that doesn't work, freeze something horrifically gooey and rotten, put it in a bag you don't love anymore, and leave it with the manager quick: before it thaws. After this, when the manager starts demanding to dig through bags, have some legal help remind him that this is illegal. The police might play along, or maybe even the local news.
If the store manager can't come up with a reasonable system, he's wide open to all sorts of mischief.

if that’s the case it's discrimination. call the aclu.

Anyone ever had any success with this approach? My guess is that the store personnel will gladly show you where the exit is and suggest you take/place your "receipt" somewhere else.

private property and business, and as such they reserve the right to refuse service to anybody for any reason or no reason at all

God, here in Europe, they do not have baggers. You have to bag your groceries all by yourself, while the clerk scans your purchases. I see people enter grocery stores all the time with backpacks. ANd one is expected to provide your own sacks or else buy one from them. Supposedly to save the environment from having to dispose of more plastic.
Its so obvious, security is there to go through your bags upon leaving. You could use your backpack to collect your purchases? Seems like to be honest , they'd give you a claim check. Just like at the airport, bags can look alike. They need be as responsible as they demand of you.
I'd go to another store. That might cause you to put more miles on your commute. thats good.? Did you explain your situation to regional managers.
Jerk.

that's not correct. you think that any private business can go around arbitrarily discriminating against blacks, jews, or whatever? not going to happen.

People do seem to have an irrational bias toward backpacks. I was going to a Michael Moore speech a few years ago and I got harrassed by the cops for trying to bring in a backpack. But it was only backpacks that they were interested in. Not any other kinds of bags. They also refused to check it and instead suggested that I hide it in the bushes. They also threatened to arrest me. If I had gotten a big shopping bag and put my backpack in it, I would have had no problem.

Maybe there is less irrational bias against messenger bags?

In Dallas, getting to a group ride early, I wandered over to the local bookstore and offered to keep my bag behind their counter (thinking I have no REAL valuables in it, and they don't have to wonder about what all I'm stealing). They said No Thanks, and I shopped without even being watched. I know this particular instance is not average, but it did happen. I imagine if I went to a store and they asked me to keep my bag behind a counter, I would ziptie the zipper pulls closed. Maybe if stores kept zipties just for the purpose of mutual security, would people (both store managers and customers) be more comfortable?

I’m inclined to agree with the manager. My son manages a large CVS
pharmacy, and shoplifting is a daily occurrence in his store. Prudence would
dictate that a shopper, bringing in a knapsack or shopping bag from another
store, would leave it behind the counter. You can always transfer the
purchased items to the knapsack after checkout. Most stores do have a policy
of checking bags from outside for good reason. At another store where my
son was working as a checker on his first job, a man with a knapsack pulled
out a gun, walked up to him and told him to open the register and put all the
money in the sack. He didn’t move fast enough and the thief fired a shot. I
think he'll always now have a visceral reaction when someone enters the store
with a knapsack.

If you feel you’re being accused of theft, don’t argue with them. Insist the
police be called to document the incident, sue the store if you were
wrongfully accused, and buy the bike of your dreams.

Again: Driver's license, credit cards, debit card, cash, healthcare card, checkbook, medicine, extra shirt, work security card, gum, sunglasses, passport on occasion, ipod, mp3 recorder (for my spanish lessons), cell phone, digital camera on occasion.

Sorry but these things will NOT leave my person. Period.

Another "quasi law" that was an issue a few years back was how our local Kroger chain dealt with shoplifters that were actually caught. I believe their rule was to make the person pay 10 times the amount, so $300 if they shoplifted $30. When in reality you have no obligation to pay this, and have the right to have a police officer come to the store, do the paperwork, and be charged in COURT with shoplifting. Paying the store directly would be the preferred option for most, but the stores interpreted this to the suspects as if it were LAW. (Shoplifters not being too bright to begin with). But someone who truly forgot to pay for something were not given the option to make their case in court. (Unless they were smart enough to know that Kroger is not a city, and you don't HAVE to pay them anything, even if caught shoplifting.

Again, another case of a company making up rules that you are NOT obligated to follow. Knowledge is power.

Hey!! Don't blame me!!! If you want to take your anal hate out on someone send G.W.Bush a letter!!!

Like it or not these are the rules of the day now.

they make some interesting "bag locks" for luggage and the like. If, as you say, you're in a monopoly, and you can't get away with shopping with the bag, this might be some peace of mind.

This is currently why I don't participate in the weekly special at a pizza pub my friends love to go to. Its on campus and they've had issues with backpack-wearers (whether student or not i leave to speculation) stealing pint glasses. I respect their rule, but I have to bring a backpack on my weekly commute. I've thought of asking the manager if I could arrange to bring it on the condition the he provides storage or an entry/exit search. I'd be a bigger fan of a search since I carry a laptop.

Of course I'm probably better off not biking after a pitcher, and nobody's trunk is big enough to fit my bike

I dislike going anywhere I do not feel wanted. Fortunately, we have plenty of competition in the denver metro area. I go elsewhere after raising a stink. Sure it is their perogative as it is mine to take my money wherever I choose.
Rarely do I ever encounter this issue. The first time I went into REI carrying my pannier, I asked the greeter if they minded. The response was "feel free to take it in. If you do not want to carry it around we have lockers to put it in". Well, I think it was lockers. My horrible memory is kicking in. Good place.
Plus, many women carry huge purses. Carrying one pannier around looks like a large man purse.

Obviously the store's policy is designed to prevent theft, not terrorism. They believe (maybe wrongly) that a lot of their "shrinkage" is due to young students who hide stolen articles in their backpacks. They can't fairly enforce a rule against minors while not enforcing it with adults. That's why they don't allow backpacks, but do allow purses. I know, I rail against it too, and complain when they ask me to surrender my backpack. Most employees let my 50 year old ass in the store with a backpack, but there are a few gung-ho martinets who insist on strict enforcement.

To make it less likely that they will ask for my pack, I put it in the cart as soon as I walk in. If it isn't on your back, it isn't really a backpack, is it? I've thought about acting really gay, batting my eyelids and saying, "Oh no sweetcheeks, I simply must hold onto my purse."

I would not leave any valuable in the pack--valuables meaning cash, credit cards, anything that a store employee might covet. But I don't worry about them taking my other stuff, like clothing, tools, inner tue, etc. Usually security is watching the employees more closely than the shoppers.

I would not get too upset at the request. Where I live, it is a real war zone here. I live in a rapidly aging older suburb of the Los Angeles basin. We have all sorts of creepy types here, always ready to shoplift at a moment's notice. So I don't carry any large bags or anything of the sort if and when I shop here. If I wanted to do some serious shopping, I go to the better neighborhoods or malls. There, bags are actually welcomed as a great indicator of your huge spending habits.

As for bags, I carry a smaller tote type bag inside containing all my valuables. In the event of a possible check in of the larger bag, I simply remove the smaller bag and go about my business in the store.

What utter rubbish. The odds of being a victim of a terrorist attack are miniscule. The costs you would impose on business and the public far outweigh the tiny risk of terrorism.