‘I work for urban and her accusing you is in DIRECT violation of company policy.’
A Los Angeles woman claims that she was wrongfully accused of shoplifting at Urban Outfitters. Her friend records the entire experience and posts it online.
TikTok creator Jailahh (@jailahhbrianna) posted a series of videos about the experience. The first one shows her friend Catelyn Jennefer (@catelynnj) at the counter going back and forth with an employee who later identifies herself as a manager.
Jennefer is an influencer, model, and brand ambassador, frequently partnering with Fashion Nova, and a former partner of rapper YG. They share two daughters.
It seems that another employee alerted the manager that they thought Jennefer had taken a skirt that she didn’t intend to pay for. The manager indicates that she checked a camera and felt the footage confirmed the other employee’s version of events. Jennefer denies that she stole anything and says that whatever item the manager saw her take was already her own property.
What Happened to This Los Angeles Woman at Urban Outfitters?
By the time the videos are being recorded, the issue between Jennefer and the manager appears to be that Jennefer would like the manager’s name, and the woman doesn’t want to give it to her.
Jennefer threatens to call the police, and the manager continues to refuse to provide her name, insisting that she saw Jennefer take a skirt on camera.
“Did you also rewind the cameras and see when I took all this stuff off, I had my clutch bag, [expletive]?” Jennefer says. She then pulls the clutch out from under a Hello Kitty blanket she is wearing around her shoulders and suggests that’s what the manager saw her take.
The interaction continues with Jennefer and the manager arguing over the sequence of events. Jennefer continues insisting that she did not steal anything and would like the manager’s name and information. At the end of the video, Jennefer and Jailahh leave the store.
Who Is in the Wrong Here?
In the comments section of the video, viewers weighed in on the idea of being wrongfully accused of shoplifting. They also evaluated the way Jennefer and the manager addressed each other.
“You were in the right at first, but the minute you get rude and start swearing and name calling, you automatically lose all respect,” said one viewer.
“I wish I could argue like this. My voice would be shaking, eyes watering, heavy breathing,” a second viewer said.
“As someone who’s worked in retail almost 10 years, never accuse a customer ever,” a third viewer wrote. “It can be seen as discriminatory and can escalate quickly. You can use recovery statements or just let it go. An item should never cost you your job.”
In the third video, another person commented, “I’m also heavily tattooed. It’s a profile, for sure. I’m always being followed when I go to stores. People are so quick to judge and assume.”
What Happens If You Are Wrongfully Accused of Shoplifting?
In California, taking $950 or less in merchandise from a store without paying is considered misdemeanor shoplifting. If convicted, a person can receive up to six months in county jail and be fined up to $1,000. So, it’s understandable why someone would be extremely upset to be accused of this behavior, especially if they didn’t do it.
Due to the seriousness of the consequences, a shoplifting charge must be backed up with evidence. It’s not clear what the manager saw on the video, so we can’t know exactly what happened in this situation. Perlman & Cohen notes that video can sometimes fail to capture the full picture of what happened. In other cases, even events caught on camera may be difficult to decipher.
If a person can later prove that they were wrongly accused of shoplifting, it is sometimes possible to file a lawsuit against the establishment for false arrest or even defamation. However, this is generally only if a person was wrongfully detained or their reputation was damaged due to the incident.
AllHipHop contacted Jennefer via TikTok direct message for comment. We also contacted Urban Outfitters via email for comment. We will update this story if either party responds.
@jailahhbrianna @Urban Outfitters ♬ original sound – Jailahh FrFr
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