People Will Do Anything For a Buck

[rylan1]

Originally Posted by ric maniac
i think they are dishonest people for 2 reasons and i think no one should even pay attention to this crap:
1. they proabably stole the items and didnt want to show the reciepts so 2. they made a big deal out of it to gain more money.
Your comments are why they have a suit. At toys r us , the cash register is right infront of the doors, so why were they stopped? It's different if they bought something that they had to pick up in the back of the store after they paid for it. I do think the amount is excessive, but attorneys say ask for a high anount and you'll ususally get 10-20% of that amount.
I also know that many of you may not understand, but I as a black person have been profiled many times, while driving and in stores. I have been followed around stores by sales clerics acting as if they are folding or doing some misc. activity. I've been stopped by police 2 times for no reasonable cause. Of course, you'll probably make some stupid comment saying that this is not true and I haven't been affected by racism, but this happens many times, not everytime. So the question is, why were these women stopped, and is this practice consistent with other people?

 

[rabbit_72]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
Your comments are why they have a suit. At toys r us , the cash register is right infront of the doors, so why were they stopped? It's different if they bought something that they had to pick up in the back of the store after they paid for it. I do think the amount is excessive, but attorneys say ask for a high anount and you'll ususally get 10-20% of that amount.
I also know that many of you may not understand, but I as a black person have been profiled many times, while driving and in stores. I have been followed around stores by sales clerics acting as if they are folding or doing some misc. activity. I've been stopped by police 2 times for no reasonable cause. Of course, you'll probably make some stupid comment saying that this is not true and I haven't been affected by racism, but this happens many times, not everytime. So the question is, why were these women stopped, and is this practice consistent with other people?
Unfortuately, we have to follow the teens and pre-teens at the store because they love to steal liquor. This is a small town and these kids have nothing better to do than drink. So you could call this age profiling and yes, it does give the good kids a bad name. But how do you tell the difference? These kids are white, by the way, so it isn't a race issue. We have a very small black community and no, I do not follow them around the store or ask for receipts. We know where our local problem is and it is mostly kids, white kids.
However, when I lived in Central Florida, it was unfortunate that the store I worked at was across from a crack neighborhood and was lived in by mostly blacks. No, I do not feel all black people have a drug prblem, so please do not think that's what I am saying. But the amount of crime in that area was much higher and the shoplifters we had were predominatly black. But we still didn't follow anyone around unless we had proof in video tapes of the person stealing previously or actually saw the person take something. The majority of the shoplifters were black, but believe me there were plenty of white people stealing as well, with alcohol problems or drugs. Oh, and also many hispanic shoplifters. It just doesn't matter aboout skin color. If someone is gonna steal, they steal.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
So the question is, why were these women stopped, and is this practice consistent with other people?
You raise a good point. If there is a pattern of this type of behavior targeting a minority, then this is discrimination plain and simple. Don't get too concerned about the amount of the claim... when you have a defendant with deep pockets, aim high.
And regarding those who think, "What is so hard about offering a receipt?". It may be easy to say that if you're not the one being targeted with suspicion. The store has no right to treat customers differently based on their skin color.

 

[happyvac]

Another more detailed article:
NEW YORK (AP) — The Toys "R" Us toy store chain singles out black customers in a pattern of race-based stops, searches and wrongful detentions, according to a multimillion-dollar discrimination lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The lawsuit, on behalf of people who believe they were unlawfully or unreasonably detained or searched because of the color of their skin, was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan and seeks class action status.
It says policies put in place by Toys "R" Us had subjected blacks to unjustified and unwarranted scrutiny, causing a disproportionate number of black customers to be assaulted, battered, surveilled, stopped, seized and searched without just cause. It seeks $400 million in damages and a court order to end discrimination.
Toys "R" Us called the allegations "entirely ridiculous."
"Toys 'R' Us respects all of the families who shop with us, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind," it said in a statement. "We look forward to demonstrating that these allegations are nonsense."
Toys "R" Us Inc., based in Wayne, N.J., is one of the leading retailers of toys and baby products with more than 1,500 freestanding specialty stores worldwide, according to its Web site.
The lawsuit says black customers are subjected to compulsory inspection of their sales receipts after they buy merchandise and try to leave the stores while white shoppers are not subjected to the same "heightened and biased" scrutiny.
"These unconstitutional and illegal acts degrade, humiliate and cause grave harm to blacks," the lawsuit says.
It says undercover operatives, security guards and employees in the stores routinely surround black shoppers in front of friends, relatives or neighbors.
The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is Patricia Drayton, who says she was stopped by a security guard as she left a Toys "R" Us store in the Bronx on July 10, 2006, with her three grandchildren and their mother. The inspection occurred just after she had bought a $63.95 birthday gift for her grandson, the lawsuit says.
When Drayton, who is black, refused to show her receipt, the security guard made her wait for 15 to 20 minutes while she tried to reach a supervisor for instructions, the lawsuit says. Drayton was then released.
Outside the store, a white man told Drayton he was angry at how she was treated because he was not asked to present his receipt when he left the store, the lawsuit says.

 

[rabbit_72]

Good to be able to read the story. No one should ever be stopped by an employee unless they have seen the customer actually take and not pay for an item. I never had stopped someone because of how they looked, acted, talked unless I had proof they took something. To stop someone, anyone, for no reason is completely wrong and does not encourage people to want to spend their money at that store. Customers can take their money else where. If the plaintiffs mange to win this case, well...wow. Lesson fo all retailers!

 

[rylan1]

Originally Posted by rabbit_72
Unfortuately, we have to follow the teens and pre-teens at the store because they love to steal liquor. This is a small town and these kids have nothing better to do than drink. So you could call this age profiling and yes, it does give the good kids a bad name. But how do you tell the difference? These kids are white, by the way, so it isn't a race issue. We have a very small black community and no, I do not follow them around the store or ask for receipts. We know where our local problem is and it is mostly kids, white kids.
However, when I lived in Central Florida, it was unfortunate that the store I worked at was across from a crack neighborhood and was lived in by mostly blacks. No, I do not feel all black people have a drug prblem, so please do not think that's what I am saying. But the amount of crime in that area was much higher and the shoplifters we had were predominatly black. But we still didn't follow anyone around unless we had proof in video tapes of the person stealing previously or actually saw the person take something. The majority of the shoplifters were black, but believe me there were plenty of white people stealing as well, with alcohol problems or drugs. Oh, and also many hispanic shoplifters. It just doesn't matter aboout skin color. If someone is gonna steal, they steal.
I see nothing wrong with your comments. Poor people steal and rich people steal...Some people have a stealing complulsion. And no one should be targeted simply based on race. Many people steal so they can resell the items.

 

[rabbit_72]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
I see nothing wrong with your comments. Poor people steal and rich people steal...Some people have a stealing complulsion. And no one should be targeted simply based on race. Many people steal so they can resell the items.
Reselling items was the big problem when I lived in Fla. We had the same people coming in to shoplift disposable razors and other high priced itms (large bottles of advil, anything over $10, Gillette, whatever) to resell. I can kind of see someone taking bread or a food item because they are poor. Doesn't make it right, but I can kind of understand. People in desparate situations do dumb things, sometimes. And like I said, at no time was any one race targeted. Repeat offenders were spotted quickly and the ones seen taking things were the ones watched. Never, at anywhere I have worked retail, have we ever stopped anyone for no reason, or even just a suspicion, and asked for a receipt or detained them. I believe law clearly states in most states that you must see the person shoplift before stopping them. And they have to have the item on their person.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
This is not racist.. I worked in Sam's Club as a teenager and I'd see white and black people doing this all the time. It is okay to give a description of the group or person involved, but if you describe the suspect as only being of a particular race with no other info.. this is wrong. This is racial profiling!
Right, had they sent the memo out just saying watch black shoppers it would have been profiling. Of course in this PC world they still took heat for even mentioning race.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by HappyVac
...
It says policies put in place by Toys "R" Us had subjected blacks to unjustified and unwarranted scrutiny, causing a disproportionate number of black customers to be assaulted, battered, surveilled, stopped, seized and searched without just cause. It seeks $400 million in damages and a court order to end discrimination.....
That paragraph tells me there is more to the story then we are hearing. Which, of course, is often the case. The accuser gets to say whatever, while the defendent has to watch themselves get slandered in the media.
"a disproportionate number..." That tells me the store is not stopping every minority person. Just "too many" in someone's estimation.
I'm white and I went to college in a town where I was a minority. Guess what; If a Hispanic store clerk asked to see my receipt I complied. If a Hispanic police officer pulled me over at 3am to see why I was out so late I showed him my license and insurance, told him I hadn't been drinking, and complied with anything else he/she told me to do. Hmm... I wonder who I can sue for $400 million dollars.
The $400 million to end discrimination.... If they were suing for discrimination that's one thing. Suing for $400 million tells me it's not about store policy but the cash.

 

[reefraff]

In Missoula Montana which is a pretty safe place as far as cities of 50,000 people goes the Bust Buy checks receipts and the checkout stands are right in front of the doors. If Toys R us has a stated policy of checking receipts, even randomly there is no case. If it can be shown that this particular employee singles out blacks or white or whatever the most the plantiffs could hope for would be to force the store to train their employees on proper procedures.

 

[rabbit_72]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
That paragraph tells me there is more to the story then we are hearing. Which, of course, is often the case. The accuser gets to say whatever, while the defendent has to watch themselves get slandered in the media.
"a disproportionate number..." That tells me the store is not stopping every minority person. Just "too many" in someone's estimation.
I'm white and I went to college in a town where I was a minority. Guess what; If a Hispanic store clerk asked to see my receipt I complied. If a Hispanic police officer pulled me over at 3am to see why I was out so late I showed him my license and insurance, told him I hadn't been drinking, and complied with anything else he/she told me to do. Hmm... I wonder who I can sue for $400 million dollars.
The $400 million to end discrimination.... If they were suing for discrimination that's one thing. Suing for $400 million tells me it's not about store policy but the cash.
Did no one see my post on me getting kicked out of a Toys R Us?!?!

I am a little white girl kicked out by a big black lady. Ok, it was funny! Age and race discrimation!!!! Do I still have a case???

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by rabbit_72
Did no one see my post on me getting kicked out of a Toys R Us?!?!

I am a little white girl kicked out by a big black lady. Ok, it was funny! Age and race discrimation!!!! Do I still have a case???

LOL, well I've worked with teens for over 12 years so I have a decent idea what was going on... I would have kicked you and your friends out too.

 

[moneyman]

Originally Posted by renogaw
hopefully this will be thrown out like that guy who sued for 54mil for the ruind pants.
Sorry ... a little OT.
That $54mil case actually got tried mocking the american justice system. The accuser (an adminstrative judge) lost and ordered to pay $83,000 in court/legal fee. Now, that accuser is trying to get the case thrown out so he doesn't have to pay the legal fee.

 

[rylan1]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
That paragraph tells me there is more to the story then we are hearing. Which, of course, is often the case. The accuser gets to say whatever, while the defendent has to watch themselves get slandered in the media.
"a disproportionate number..." That tells me the store is not stopping every minority person. Just "too many" in someone's estimation.
I'm white and I went to college in a town where I was a minority. Guess what; If a Hispanic store clerk asked to see my receipt I complied. If a Hispanic police officer pulled me over at 3am to see why I was out so late I showed him my license and insurance, told him I hadn't been drinking, and complied with anything else he/she told me to do. Hmm... I wonder who I can sue for $400 million dollars.
The $400 million to end discrimination.... If they were suing for discrimination that's one thing. Suing for $400 million tells me it's not about store policy but the cash.

If they were only stopping white people and were presuming that because you are white that you may be doing something wrong or illegal, than you would have a case. I've had several instances where I've been targeted in stores and unwarrantly was observed, and I believe it was because of my race, and the clerk or manager thought I could be a thief. It's kinda like being accused of a crime or of doing something you did not do. For anyone who has been wrongly accused of something, you should know how that makes you feel.
I've had 3 bad experiences when stopped by police. One in high school and I lived in a mostly white area. I was on the football team and we were coming home from practice. There had been a bank robbery by some black males who were described as 40+ tall 6'2-6'4 and 230-250lbs. There were 4 of us in the car and we were all 15-17 yrs old and not close to being that large. Well basically we passed through in a car where they were investigating, and our houses were right around the corner. We went over a hill and was comfronted by a road block and surrounded. I'd say there were atleast 12 cars and they all had their guns pointed at us. We were ordered to put are hands up, get out one by one, questioned, etc... we were let go without any explanation or apology. At the end of it all we felt humiliated. word got back to our classmates and they would make jokes and etc. I have other stories, but my point is when you are wrongly accused of something there is some emotional stress involved, and when it is based soley on race it makes you feel like you are not held in the same regard as other citizens, and that the justice system is not equally balanced.

 

[rylan1]

Originally Posted by MoneyMan
Sorry ... a little OT.
That $54mil case actually got tried mocking the american justice system. The accuser (an adminstrative judge) lost and ordered to pay $83,000 in court/legal fee. Now, that accuser is trying to get the case thrown out so he doesn't have to pay the legal fee.
This case was a joke and this guy should have to pay!

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
... but my point is when you are wrongly accused of something there is some emotional stress involved, and when it is based soley on race it makes you feel like you are not held in the same regard as other citizens, and that the justice system is not equally balanced.
I've had police guns pointed on me twice.. once when they got the apartment number wrong and forced their way into my apartment thinking a 911 call of a domestic disturbance had occured. The "suspect" was a white male.
People are still racist. I accept that. What I don't accept is $400 million dollar lawsuits because someone was asked to show a receipt.

 

[seasalt101]

Originally Posted by Rylan1
At toys r us , the cash register is right infront of the doors, so why were they stopped?
I have been followed around stores by sales clerics acting as if they are folding or doing some misc. activity.
. So the question is, why were these women stopped, and is this practice consistent with other people?
they are not in front of the doors at our toys r us here- they are off to the side
i have too and i'm -technically speaking -white
at our toys r us they try to stop every person (,some people go right by and out the doors while they are checking other peoples receipts,) when they are finished checking them they look up and stop the next people coming towards the door- very common.
i've been stopped for receipt checks almost every time i leave there - should i sue ?

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
What I don't accept is $400 million dollar lawsuits because someone was asked to show a receipt.
I think that these two articles contradict each other regarding the claimed damages. The first says that each individual claimant is asking for $200 million while the second says that the claimed damages for the case is $400 million (which sounds more likely). Although a minor distinction, the damages may not be so egregious if they are split between thousands of members of the potential class that they are trying to certify.
The reality is that, even if Plaintiffs prevail, they will end up with a few bucks for the trouble but the attorneys will make out big. This is not a black and white issue... it is a lawyer issue.

 

[rylan1]

Originally Posted by seasalt101
they are not in front of the doors at our toys r us here- they are off to the side
i have too and i'm -technically speaking -white
at our toys r us they try to stop every person (,some people go right by and out the doors while they are checking other peoples receipts,) when they are finished checking them they look up and stop the next people coming towards the door- very common.
i've been stopped for receipt checks almost every time i leave there - should i sue ?
Some places check everyone like Sam's Club, Best Buy checks high ticket or large items. In the toys r us's I've been in the registers are like 10 feet from the doors and they don't check receipts there in my experiences there at the store, except when I bought a car bed there once and had to pull back behind the store in the cargo area. The story said that another person witnessed how all this went down and was upset because he wasn't stopped and that he could tell the women were being harrassed.

 

[bronco300]

not sure if i just missed it but did they say what the birthday gift was? i've been stopped in walmart before and i'm "white"...real hard to pull out a receipt but i did it...i had bigger items that couldnt be bagged so they checked me out to make sure, and away i went....if its an actual issue with ToyRus ok...money is a bit insane, but i'm sure they know itd be a nice check written out to them(lawyers) so theyll do what they can to get it going..