SF store takes customer to small claims for thefts...says regular customers are more of the problem

[Demovictory9]

video shows posh looking woman stealing

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/fed-up-with-theft-sf-shop-takes-customer-to-small-claims-court/vi-AAQNcb0

Co-owners Christina Battle and Louisa Young say retail theft is a constant.

"In the past, every single police report we've ever filed for any kind of shoplifter or break-in entry has never had any resolution," said Christina Battle, Isalis Co-Owner.

Battle says the blatant theft the store experienced recently on Fillmore Street is not the norm. The store's co-owners say more often some repeat customers will take one or two items without paying for them.

"It's disheartening because these are our actual customers that come in," said Louisa Young, Isalis co-owner.

Frustrated and fed up, they decided to approach one customer differently who they say took merchandise from the store in May and June.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/fed-up-with-theft-sf-boutique-heads-to-small-claims-court-over-customer-they-say-took-items/ar-AAQN4TK?ocid=BingNewsSearch

[durablend]

1. Well, no

"It's disheartening because these are our actual customers that come in," said Louisa Young, Isalis co-owner.

They're thieves, not customers.

[dsc]

4. Her point is that this person previously bought stuff

and was a customer.

[ZonkerHarris]

2. New sign for these stores: "We don't have security cameras because we don't want what we do to

the thieves we catch on film. You have been warned."

[MichMan]

3. The attorney for the thief thinks they should only be required to pay for the goods themselves

The customer and store's co-owners ultimately agreed to a $1,121 settlement covering the cost of two items at $256 dollars, $800 for the time the co-owners spent pulling surveillance video and researching and $65 in court fees.

The settlement did not cover the store's attorney's fees, though the co-owners would have preferred it did.

"Whenever there's a theft in one of our stores this is what people don't understand we basically have to halt our operations," said Battle.

"We want to interview our staff, find out if this person has been in before then we start the process of digging through our tapes which could be so lengthy depending on what we're looking for," she continued.

The customer's attorney disagrees.

"There's no legal basis for the award of money for owner's time getting ready to go to small claims court," said attorney Stephen Jaffe.

"The owners of this business have another agenda that they're working on here, making a political statement, making an example of my client," Jaffe continued.

[JI7]

6. Buying something is part of the scam. To try to take attention

away from them or if caught make up some bs about how they forgot to pay.