A Seattle Walgreens security guard accused a woman of shoplifting and told her surveillance video caught her in the act, but then later told police there was no footage of the alleged theft.
Meika Prince posted cellphone video of her encounter with a guard at the drug store on Saturday, March 27. The guard, identified as Brian Vinegar, approached Prince and told her she must empty her pockets and relinquish store items he accused her of taking.
Vinegar told Prince that a store manager looked at the store’s surveillance camera feed and saw Prince pocket some items.
However, Vinegar later told police there was no video surveillance capturing the incident and that he “could not clarify who told him that she was stealing,” according to a police report. He also said his body-worn video camera was not activated at the time he approached Prince.
In the video, Prince firmly pushes back against the accusations in the video she posted and demands to see the surveillance footage, but Vinegar ignores her requests and demands she hand over the items she’s accused of stealing.
“You got items on you and I need those items back,” says Vinegar at the start of the video as he flashes a light toward Prince. “Don’t touch me!” responds Prince as she steps away from the encroaching guard.
“I have a job to do, it’s not personal,” insists Vinegar.
“They watched you on camera,” he claimed. “They’re telling me right now that you have the items. Here’s the deal, I’m going to work with you.”
Prince tries to tell the guard she’s at the store to pick up her Adderall prescription and that the only item she has in her pockets is her wallet, but Vinegar still demands she show him.
Prince stood her ground, refusing to show the guard the items in her pocket.
“It’s either you’re calling the police, or…,” says Prince before she’s cut off.
“You don’t get to make the rules, you don’t dictate what happens here,” says Vinegar.
At one…
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