Woman shops at Goodwill in Seattle. They accuse her of stealing a Coach bag. There’s just one problem—it’s hers: ‘They emptied out your bag?’

Embarking on a treasure hunt for secondhand gems in thrift stores should be fun. But false theft allegations sour the experience fast, especially if Goodwill accuses you of stealing your own Coach bag, as this woman says happened to her.

Goodwill Accuses Seattle Woman of Stealing Her Own Coach Bag

Washington TikToker Jennifer (@jennifer15.0) writes, “Pov: you got accused of stealing your own Coach bag at Goodwill Seattle” in the on-screen caption of her viral video.

She films a Goodwill security guard allegedly attempting to snatch her Coach bag as she cries “No” multiple times.

“You said I stole this, right?” she asks, frantically referring to the bag on her person. Once the male security guard answers, “Yeah,” she insists, “Go and look.” 

After she places her vintage Signature Canvas and Suede Flap bag onto the counter, the content creator is determined to prove her innocence, pressing to a female employee, “Let him go and look at the cameras.”

To make it worse, Jennifer says her belongings are gone. “The jacket, my headphones, everything out there is mine,” she shares.

While it appears she called 911, as evidenced by the 11-minute phone call screenshot, they allegedly never showed up.

It Goes From Bad to Worse

In a follow-up video, Jennifer reveals more of what transpired. While standing at the register, she emptied her bag per the female worker's request. “Go look and tell me if I stole this,” she tells the worker.

After a manager intervenes, he watches silently as the situation unravels. When the same security guard tries to take her bag (presumably what happened in the original video), she refuses. “No! No! You just accused me of stealing. So, you're gonna be on TikTok today,” she states.

However, the moment the manager chimes in, the situation escalates. “We're gonna kick you out,” he says. “You're not allowed to buy anything.” All of a sudden, security swoops in and swipes her bag off the counter. 

According to the on-screen text, the security guard claimed he saw her steal the Coach bag. However, she argues she bought it online, citing the online haul video she posted the week prior as proof.

‘I hate Goodwill Even More'

Jennifer's interactions collectively amassed over 1.4 million views and boiled many viewers' blood in the comments section.

“I hate Goodwill even more. Place is a joke & overpriced!” one viewer remarked.

“Oh hell nah goodwill has gotten out of hand bruh,” a second stated.

Furthermore, others urged her to take legal action pronto.

“This is a violation of your rights. Legally nobody can ask you to open your bag. You need a lawyer ASAP,” one commenter suggested.

“Go make a police report and call a lawyer. Most will represent you for free and take a percentage at the end. Don't let them get away with this. They don't think you'll do anything. Prove them wrong,” another echoed.

“They're at fault for violating your rights. Sue. Goodwill is unhinged,” a third said.

Goodwill Enters the Chat

After Jennifer's video went viral, it seems Goodwill caught wind of it. According to her most recent update clip as of this writing, she shared, “They finally reached out to me, thanks to the internet.”

Although she does have her bag, she says her original items are long gone. However, the non-profit will make up for it. “My stuff lost at the bins will be [reimbursed],” she revealed in the comments section.

What Authority Do Security Guards Have?

There is a misconception that these security guards have the same authority as police. In fact, they only have the authority of private citizens with a few exceptions. Store security guards in Washington state can detain suspected shoplifters as long as they have “reasonable grounds” to believe the person is stealing an item or tried to steal it, according to the Spokeman Review. However, they can't search the suspect without consent or hold them for long periods of time, per Oatridge Security Group.

How Serious Are False Theft Allegations?

False allegations can turn into a serious problem. A study reported by Will & Will found that 6% of people were wrongfully accused of minor crimes like theft. Therefore, the law firm recommends the following for those in that situation:

• Remain calm
• Search for evidence
• Know your rights (i.e., refusing to speak without your lawyer involved)
• Don't talk
• Get a lawyer

Subplot reached out to Jennifer via email and TikTok direct message and to Goodwill of Northwest Washington via contact form. We will update this story if they respond.

@jennifer15.0

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