Here is a copy of a note I sent to Trader Joes HQ via their website.
My wife and I were walking into your Oakland CA Lakeshore store at about 4:30 pm today (8/26/15) when we saw your security guard assaulting an alleged shop lifter. There were dozens of families in the parking lot to witness this spectacle. I and others got some or all of the incident on video and YouTube. Since when are security guards allowed to assault anyone, ever?
Is it your policy to chase down and physically assault alleged shop lifters? Is that even legal? As a $200 per week customer of yours, I don't care about shop lifters but I sure as hell care about out of control security guards assaulting people where I shop.
I no longer feel safe in your store, because of your security guard(s) and or your policy of assaulting people. Please let me know if this incident was within your approved policy guidelines so that I can decided if I want to remain a customer of yours. You have my contact details, please let me know.
Thank you.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty much done with police and or security guard brutality. It's mean, unnecessary and bad for business. I'll be damned if I every shop there again, especially with my kids. I'll let you know if Trader Joe's responds.
Wed Aug 26, 2015 at 6:55 PM PT: Here is the link to one of the videos. Unfortunately it only shows aftermath.
https://youtu.be/...
Fri Aug 28, 2015 at 11:10 AM PT: Nothing from Trade Joe's yet...