Staff Tackles and Chokes Deaf Shopper suspected of Shoplifting

Well, okay, fine. American laws are so complicated and contradictory it really doesn't matter anyway. Besides, there's always a big difference in what a law says and how it is applied. I'm just saying, though, for a citizens arrest, it must be a felony in many states. Not all, but many.
security guard and private citizen. big difference.

C'mon now. You're from NJ/NYC, you know that there are plenty of outdoor escalators that are not part of the mall itself. Like, Subways, hello?

Just watch the video again, ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Okay? It takes place on the sidewalk outside the store, in the open air.
There are a handful of malls that look like a public place with escalators, open air, and even palm trees. Ever seen Las Vegas? or Woodsbury Commons mall in upstate NY?

It's okay to admit when you're wrong. :lol:
I would if there's sufficient fact. After seeing Highlander's picture, then looks like I'm in the wrong :)

or maybe not... depending on local commercial law.
 
I just found out who the suspect is and I now want to say that person is a no good criminal and has a mile long criminal record. He had been jailed for various crimes, including shoplifting, MANY TIMES. He's really bad news. What happened was that he has a history of shoplifting at that store and they recognized him and they have legal right to detain him from previous history of shoplifting. How the guard handled it is bad though.

He will NEVER stop stealing. That's his career.
 
sorry but I just lol'ed for a moment here. Looks like I'm the minority report in here. :)
 
Just because a person has a history of shoplifting or a record of crime doesn't mean that person shoplifted but legitimately bought the items. Or that the store thought the person stole something when he/she did not. Who knows until the story pans out with all the details confirmed.
 
Bar-arm type chokes are more dangerous, not because of the idea of cutting off air, but for the high risk of crushing the windpipe. Because once you crush that, game over. That guard was using a vascular choke and freaking out just makes it worse.

This is a tricky scenario since we don't know all that happened. I agree that his friend shouldn't have tried to interfere so much, it just makes things worse. Dealing with shoplifters is tricky. It's not shoplifting until they leave the store but then you're supposed to somehow get them back into the store without force. But you can still argue that that is unlawful detainment. Detention at school is technically unlawful detainment. Yeah, in my business law class we learned that there is really no such thing as citizen's arrest. You'll just get slapped with unlawful detainment.

I'm not going to pass any judgement really because I don't know enough about what happened.

since you do grappling and UFC stuff... I have a question for you. Is it possible to do chokehold without choking him (blocking blood veins or windpipe) just to merely lock him down until police officers arrive?

For example - he used chokehold move but he was not actually squeezing his arms closer to choke him.
 
I just found out who the suspect is and I now want to say that person is a no good criminal and has a mile long criminal record. He had been jailed for various crimes, including shoplifting, MANY TIMES. He's really bad news. What happened was that he has a history of shoplifting at that store and they recognized him and they have legal right to detain him from previous history of shoplifting. How the guard handled it is bad though.

He will NEVER stop stealing. That's his career.

http://app4.lasd.org/iic/details.cfm?A=C7E9005AD9DF815B239E38E283233BF9B9C4401D&B='(8M$!4D)J0%20%20%0A&C=VYKUG&CFID=42828472&CFTOKEN=81870956&jsessionid=f030b9b24f5e30b07b792570e254c22f164d

Use copy/paste a link.


Alejandro Rea

No crime history till 8/07/2010.
 
http://app4.lasd.org/iic/details.cfm?A=C7E9005AD9DF815B239E38E283233BF9B9C4401D&B='(8M$!4D)J0%20%20%0A&C=VYKUG&CFID=42828472&CFTOKEN=81870956&jsessionid=f030b9b24f5e30b07b792570e254c22f164d

Use copy/paste a link.


Alejandro Rea

No crime history till 8/07/2010.

Interesting, it says you can deposit money for the bail via the website.
 
http://app4.lasd.org/iic/details.cfm?A=C7E9005AD9DF815B239E38E283233BF9B9C4401D&B='(8M$!4D)J0%20%20%0A&C=VYKUG&CFID=42828472&CFTOKEN=81870956&jsessionid=f030b9b24f5e30b07b792570e254c22f164d

Use copy/paste a link.


Alejandro Rea

No crime history till 8/07/2010.

Any idea why there are two seperate court dates? And case numbers? and WOW that's a lot of bail... $55k total!!!
 
http://app4.lasd.org/iic/details.cfm?A=C7E9005AD9DF815B239E38E283233BF9B9C4401D&B='(8M$!4D)J0%20%20%0A&C=VYKUG&CFID=42828472&CFTOKEN=81870956&jsessionid=f030b9b24f5e30b07b792570e254c22f164d

Use copy/paste a link.


Alejandro Rea

No crime history till 8/07/2010.

That is just within that agency or county. Other counties and agencies have their own records. You would have to look up the state and federal records to obtain more information on his criminal history. :)
 
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Brother speaks out on deaf theft incident

Brother speaks out on deaf theft incident | abc7.com

A controversial video shows security guards scuffling with two deaf men.

On Friday, one of the men is told his side of the story exclusively to Eyewitness News. He said he is very angry at the way the security guards treated him and his brother. He claimed the guards never gave him the chance to communicate to them that he and his brother are deaf.

An incident outside the Forever 21 store on Hollywood Boulevard sparked outrage. A witness caught the scuffle between store security guards and two deaf brothers on tape.

The amateur video shows the scuffle on the Hollywood Boulevard. Two security guards can be seen, one on the ground holding a person in a chokehold.

Meanwhile a second person is running around frantically trying to stop it. That person is Pablo Rea. He is deaf and Friday he pointed out what he was doing in the video.

In a statement he said, "There was no communication at all. It was hard for me to get anything across. I was frustrated."

The video was shot outside the Forever 21 clothing store at Hollywood and Highland. The person on the ground is Rea's brother, Alejandro. It appears when the men walked out of the store the alarm went off, but they wouldn't be able to hear it, and the security guards grabbed them.

"I didn't like the way the security guards were choking my brother, that they almost killed him," said Pablo. "I was trying to get to the guards but they kept pushing me back. I was trying to get them to stop, to tell them, 'I am deaf, I am deaf.'"

The Hollywood and Highland center issued a statement:

"The handling of the recent shoplifting incident at Forever XXI was unfortunate. Hollywood & Highland Center Management nor its private security team was involved in this incident. While we await the outcome of the investigation by Forever XXI we do not condone the apparent use of excessive force."

According to the L.A. District Attorney's Office, Alejandro Rea has a history of petty theft. He pleaded guilty in a case back in 2002 and no contest for another incident in 2008. In the current case he is being charged with one count of 2nd-degree robbery and one count of petty theft with priors.

Asked if his brother had receipts when they walked out of the store, Pablo says the police took everything.

Forever 21 released a statement Friday:

"Our internal investigation has shown conclusively that the security guard approached and identified himself to the suspect after the light and sound anti-theft alarms were triggered. The suspect visually acknowledged the guard and then turned and fled the scene. According to media reports, the suspect was arrested and charged with robbery and shoplifting by the LAPD. We recognize that the security guard used excessive force, which is against our store policy and have suspended him indefinitely," wrote Kristen Strickler, Forever 21 Marketing Dept.

Alejandro Rea remained in jail Friday afternoon with bail set at $55,000. Pablo Rea said Friday he has contacted an attorney.
 
"Our internal investigation has shown conclusively that the security guard approached and identified himself to the suspect after the light and sound anti-theft alarms were triggered.

It says here it had lights and sounds on the anti-theft alarms. So they knew they were busted.
 
I've once had an e-tag on a clothing item that left on when the cashier forgot to remove it. I had my receipt with me when I left the store and the alarm went off, I went back in and got the e-tag removed. Again, the investigation isn't over nor conclusive based on that article. Just because the alarm went off (lights and sound) did they really know something was up? Did they see or recognized the alarm lights? How exactly did they "flee the scene"? By bolting off the moment the alarm went off? Or did a quick walk? The suspect was only 15 or 20 feet from the store's entrance. Either he is the slowest runner or you have the fastest, heaviest guard ever to nab that suspect.

I'll let the investigation do its job before making any further judgement.
 
aha,, looks like there was another side to the story. the deaf guy had a history of shoplifting plus the store says he ran for it. that is a "he said , they said" thing if it wasn't captured on store video. still it is good that they admitted to excessive force, he might be able to plea it down to a misdemeanor . but wow, $55,000 bail for shoplifting?? now that is excessive.
 
Alejandro Rea has a history of petty theft. He pleaded guilty in a case back in 2002 and no contest for another incident in 2008.

If he did steal it at Forever 21, then he will likely go to the jail for a year, maybe a prison. It doesn't look good on his record. Why didn't his brother say anything about Alejandro's history of petty theft? Maybe Pablo is afraid to bring it up, because they will likely jump to the conclusion.

Our internal investigation has shown conclusively that the security guard approached and identified himself to the suspect after the light and sound anti-theft alarms were triggered. The suspect visually acknowledged the guard and then turned and fled the scene.

so, the security guard identified himself with what? showing a badge, or raise a hand and say wait????


I used to shop at Forever 21 back in Southern CA, and the women clothes are cute and pretty, but Forever 21 is not for large women. Forever 21 stores I went to sell women clothing only. So If this Forever 21 in Hollywood sell women only, why did two guys go there? Maybe he bought a gift for a female friend. I have never been to Forever 21 that sells women and men clothes together.

I have a problem with Forever 21 clothes because they sell clothes that are for athletic/ skinny women only. After I wash my forever 21 clothes many times, they shrink. The fabrics suck. That's why I did not go there anymore.
 
If he did steal it at Forever 21, then he will likely go to the jail for a year, maybe a prison. It doesn't look good on his record. Why didn't his brother say anything about Alejandro's history of petty theft? Maybe Pablo is afraid to bring it up, because they will likely jump to the conclusion.



so, the security guard identified himself with what? showing a badge, or raise a hand and say wait????


I used to shop at Forever 21 back in Southern CA, and the women clothes are cute and pretty, but Forever 21 is not for large women. Forever 21 stores I went to sell women clothing only. So If this Forever 21 in Hollywood sell women only, why did two guys go there? Maybe he bought a gift for a female friend. I have never been to Forever 21 that sells women and men clothes together.

I have a problem with Forever 21 clothes because they sell clothes that are for athletic/ skinny women only. After I wash my forever 21 clothes many times, they shrink. The fabrics suck. That's why I did not go there anymore.

The Forever 21 where I live now (it's very recent, probably in the past few months) carries: regular women's sizes, plus sizes for women, men's clothing, and children's clothing. Since this was in a big city, they probably had the same options available, and that's why he was there.

He probably didn't mention the shoplifting history right away, because he wanted his brother first to be out of the chokehold, and then later because he didn't want his brother to be in jail. That's my guess.
 
The Forever 21 where I live now (it's very recent, probably in the past few months) carries: regular women's sizes, plus sizes for women, men's clothing, and children's clothing. Since this was in a big city, they probably had the same options available, and that's why he was there.

It's been a few years since I went there. I will check it out sometimes. I am extremely picky when it comes to fabrics. If they continue producing the same fabrics, forget it.

He probably didn't mention the shoplifting history right away, because he wanted his brother first to be out of the chokehold, and then later because he didn't want his brother to be in jail. That's my guess.

It could be. The reporter already had a statement regarding Alejandro's petty history from the L.A. District Attorney's Office Why didn't the reporter ask Pablo about it during the interview? I am just wondering about that.

I thought the security guard placed Alejandro in a choke hold for several minutes is extreme. Alejandro did not fight back. What motivated the security guard to do it in the first place?
 
sure feel sorry for the guy being in prison in LA !!!! some of the worse prisons in america there. i saw TV shows about the LA prisons and that makes me say "thank god" i quit that stuff when i turned 18
 
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