<p>I went to my university bookstore earlier today. I got a book and a pencil. The cashier rang up the book, which was $77, but forgot to ring up the mechanical pencil, which was $1.50.</p>
<p>When I was walking out of the store, the alarm sounded. They rushed me into the backroom and began questioning me and accusing me of stealing. I assured them that I did not intend on stealing anything. They said that they were watching me on their cameras the entire time that I was in the store and I was performing "shady behavior," like looking around everywhere. At one point in time, I had the pencil in my pocket so I could find the name of the book on my android.</p>
<p>I had put both the pencil and the book on the counter, but the cashier didn't ring up the pencil.</p>
<p>The guy questioning me said that I would be "blacklisted" and a picture of me would be put on their to watch list. However, he said that he would mark the case as a "cashier error." I believe he was still thinking that I tried to steal it but couldn't prove anything since I had put the pencil on the counter.</p>
<p>I paid the $1.50 and left. I don't have to meet with a dean or anything over this. A fifteen minute questioning over a pencil that was not rung up!!! They made me feel like a criminal.</p>
<p>What I am wondering is if, since I payed with my student account and they have all my info, is if this little incident will show up anywhere else, other than their little security place in the school store?</p>
<p>I think you are okay.
It was a cashier error.
You put the item on the counter and the cashier did not ring it up and you were distracted and didn’t notice the omission.
No harm no foul.
Stay away from the bookstore for a while just because they are targeting you.
Keep the receipts, especially with the time notations so you can prove the pencil was paid for a few minutes after the book.
Write down your recollection of the event and tuck away with receipts.</p>
<p>That’s a good idea to write down my side of the story and keep the receipts, thanks.</p>
<p>I guess what I was trying to get at is will this incident ever be included in anything like be put on my transcripts when applying for a job or grad schools. Or will it be put on my student account as a permanent mark, like if a teacher or an adviser looks at my account, will they be able to see that I “was caught stealing.”</p>
<p>No, the store said it was a cashier error and therefore the store’s mistake.
You are absolved.
You can truthfully answer “no” on applications when asked about stealing or infractions.
Stop obsessing.</p>
<p>In the future, it is not a good idea to put any unpaid merchandise in your pocket while shopping. It sounds like that choice made their security officer agitated.
Did the cashier realize that the pencil was on the counter? Did the cashier place the pencil in a bag?</p>
<p>Yes, the cashier admitted that the pencil was on the counter and that she saw it. The guy questioning me also stated that the cashier had thought that the pencil was mine already because I had “pushed the book forward to the cashier while I had not pushed the pencil forward as to hand it to the cashier.” There was no bag.</p>
<p>Don’t ask me what that means, I take it as the cashier was just being a clutz.</p>
<p>The only reason why I am obsessing so much over it, I guess, is because they said that I would be put on their wall of shame to look out for me. They didn’t take any picture or anything, so I’m guessing they would just be taking all my information off of my school student account. That is why I think they might be putting something on my account, just because they obviously have access to it.</p>
<p>Sounds like bs to me.
Don’t be intimidated, the store’s security said it was cashier error.
The merchandise was in plain sight on the counter.
The cashier mistakenly assumed the pencil was yours and did not charge you.
Security is just trying to do their job as they targeted you on security camera putting a pencil in your pocket(very dumb on your part) but then taking it out to pay for it.
Stay away from the bookstore and shop online as turntabler suggests.
Your adrenaline from the situation is triggering an OCD reaction and you are a little freaked out.</p>
<p>They can’t put anything like this on your record without you either signing a form agreeing that you committed the offense or them taking you through some kind of “legal hearing” in the dean’s office to determine guilt on the matter. Without one or the other they leave themselves wide open to a lawsuit they know they will lose.</p>
<p>I bet if you go back there is no picture of you, ever. You accidentally faked out security when you put the pencil in your pocket and took it out again. They eagerly leveled a theft accusation against you only to find out it was cashier error. That’s really embarrassing for them, so they couldn’t just let you walk away without somehow trying to blame you for it somehow. My advice is to forgive them for blaming you instead of admitting their mistake, and forget about the whole thing.</p>
<p>But never put store merchandise in your pocket until after you’ve paid for it.</p>