Q: Do I have grounds to take legal action?
On Black Friday, I went shopping for a TV with my boyfriend and step dad. My boyfriend and I paid on one register, while my step dad paid on the register next to us at the same time. My boyfriend and I decided to get new phones. Once we got done with our phones, we attempted to exit the store around 10 am. There was a lady checking receipts. She said our receipt said 8:30 am. I politely explained that we ended up getting phones after we purchased the TV and mount. She asked to see the receipts for the phones. I presented her with the receipts and paperwork showing we purchased phones. She then told us to wait and began walking toward a side room. I asked if something was wrong and she said she needed to verify something. Finally, another employee came out saying she watched the cameras and began insinuating that my step dad had given us his receipt. I told her if she watched the cameras she would also see us paying for the TV.
A:
No. Shopkeeper's privilege.
A shopkeeper is allowed to detain a suspected shoplifter on store property for a reasonable period of time, so long as the shopkeeper has cause to believe that the person detained in fact committed, or attempted to commit, theft of store property.
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