It depends on who did the handcuffing, how it was done...
Who could do the handcuffing but the police? Best Buy doesn't employ anyone with the right to use handcuffs. They don't even have rent-a-cops (at least, not in any store I've ever been in), just standard loss prevention employees who are supposed to watch the store.
the person who made the false statement should do six months to a year in prison for it.
So, a cashier has to do jail time if they misidentify a counterfeit bill? That seems way off to me. Best Buy could not properly verify the authenticity of those bills. The customer, already wanting to be an ass (hence the $2 bills), refuses to pay by any other means. I still say Best Buy did the right thing. If the cops mishandled the situation as laid down by their guidelines, then the man has a legitmate grievance with the police, not Best Buy
Ok, I've worked retail. Its not fun. I certainly agree that customers don't always get treated like they should. However, there are a lot of factors to something like this. Personally this is how it breaks down to me.
Installation Woes: If Best Buy forgot to charge him for the installation, they should've just eaten the cost. Never do you call someone back into the store to pay for a service you've already done. if they get out the door, that's your fault. It sounds like there was a mixup with the stereo anyway, so good customer service says you try to help the guy out. Fault: Best Buy
Two dollar troubles. Yes, $2 bills are legal tender. Yes, people should accept them. Yes, they are annoying and serve as nothing more than an opportunity to say "I'm right, you're wrong." Everyone knows that there is no slot in a cash drawer for the $2 bills. Moreover, I've personally never seen (not saying they don't exist) a deposit tally that allows you to list $2 bills. So, you're just making everyone's life hard so you can be an ass and look superior. Get over yourself and be kind. Fault: Customer
Serious Smudging So, you've got a person in front of you, who is already yanking your chain with these $2 bills. They insist you take them. Then, the bills smudge and on further inspection, have another odd (not impossible) trait. Criminals do the stupidest things on a daily basis. Its not beyond the realm of possbility for the bills to be faked in that manner. It's also not a case for automatic guilt. I guarantee you the cashier didn't call the police. It had to be something done at the management level. You can say the bills smudged or didn't smudge, looked fake or didn't. When it comes down to it, we weren't there. It is a judgement call you have to make at the time of the incident. There are lots of ways to fake a bill. Most law enforcement will tell you, "if it looks suspicious, don't take it." Unless of course, you have a customer that "insists" you take it. Basically, I believe Best Buy did the right thing to call the cops in this situation. Fault: None, it really could have gone either way.
Arrested? This is the part where it gets dodgey. Should a police officer, based upon the aforementioned situation, arrest a person? Hell, I don't know. It sounds like this guy was already looking to pick a fight with his $2 protest. Were it me, I probably would have detained him, but not arrested him unless it was absolutely necessary. Of course, if he refused to allow the matter to be cleared up in a normal fashion, then what do you do? At the point someone says "no, I won't let the authenticity of my bills be verified." Is that suspicious? My call, oh heck ya. Fault: Unless you have it on tape. Who knows.
Post 9/11 world?!? Good God, is anyone really that dumb? Fault: Who in their right mind picks this guy as a spokesman?
Anyway, sounds like everyone could learn some lessons here. Best Buy needs to follow through better on charging its customers correctly. This guy needs to get a life and stop harassing cashiers with $2 bills. Finally, the police department needs to cut out the tongue of that officer so he can never speak again.:) Does Best Buy owe this guy a million dollars for following best practices with regards to currency? Oh hell no! Its the McDonalds coffee lawsuit all over again. We're not going to make anything better with MORE lawsuits.
Slashdot Mirror
It depends on who did the handcuffing, how it was done...
Who could do the handcuffing but the police? Best Buy doesn't employ anyone with the right to use handcuffs. They don't even have rent-a-cops (at least, not in any store I've ever been in), just standard loss prevention employees who are supposed to watch the store.
the person who made the false statement should do six months to a year in prison for it.
So, a cashier has to do jail time if they misidentify a counterfeit bill? That seems way off to me. Best Buy could not properly verify the authenticity of those bills. The customer, already wanting to be an ass (hence the $2 bills), refuses to pay by any other means. I still say Best Buy did the right thing. If the cops mishandled the situation as laid down by their guidelines, then the man has a legitmate grievance with the police, not Best Buy
Ok, I've worked retail. Its not fun. I certainly agree that customers don't always get treated like they should. However, there are a lot of factors to something like this. Personally this is how it breaks down to me.
:) Does Best Buy owe this guy a million dollars for following best practices with regards to currency? Oh hell no! Its the McDonalds coffee lawsuit all over again. We're not going to make anything better with MORE lawsuits.
Installation Woes:
If Best Buy forgot to charge him for the installation, they should've just eaten the cost. Never do you call someone back into the store to pay for a service you've already done. if they get out the door, that's your fault. It sounds like there was a mixup with the stereo anyway, so good customer service says you try to help the guy out.
Fault: Best Buy
Two dollar troubles.
Yes, $2 bills are legal tender. Yes, people should accept them. Yes, they are annoying and serve as nothing more than an opportunity to say "I'm right, you're wrong." Everyone knows that there is no slot in a cash drawer for the $2 bills. Moreover, I've personally never seen (not saying they don't exist) a deposit tally that allows you to list $2 bills. So, you're just making everyone's life hard so you can be an ass and look superior. Get over yourself and be kind.
Fault: Customer
Serious Smudging
So, you've got a person in front of you, who is already yanking your chain with these $2 bills. They insist you take them. Then, the bills smudge and on further inspection, have another odd (not impossible) trait. Criminals do the stupidest things on a daily basis. Its not beyond the realm of possbility for the bills to be faked in that manner. It's also not a case for automatic guilt. I guarantee you the cashier didn't call the police. It had to be something done at the management level. You can say the bills smudged or didn't smudge, looked fake or didn't. When it comes down to it, we weren't there. It is a judgement call you have to make at the time of the incident. There are lots of ways to fake a bill. Most law enforcement will tell you, "if it looks suspicious, don't take it." Unless of course, you have a customer that "insists" you take it. Basically, I believe Best Buy did the right thing to call the cops in this situation.
Fault: None, it really could have gone either way.
Arrested?
This is the part where it gets dodgey. Should a police officer, based upon the aforementioned situation, arrest a person? Hell, I don't know. It sounds like this guy was already looking to pick a fight with his $2 protest. Were it me, I probably would have detained him, but not arrested him unless it was absolutely necessary. Of course, if he refused to allow the matter to be cleared up in a normal fashion, then what do you do? At the point someone says "no, I won't let the authenticity of my bills be verified." Is that suspicious? My call, oh heck ya.
Fault: Unless you have it on tape. Who knows.
Post 9/11 world?!?
Good God, is anyone really that dumb?
Fault: Who in their right mind picks this guy as a spokesman?
Anyway, sounds like everyone could learn some lessons here. Best Buy needs to follow through better on charging its customers correctly. This guy needs to get a life and stop harassing cashiers with $2 bills. Finally, the police department needs to cut out the tongue of that officer so he can never speak again.