Don't walk off with a Home Depot pencil

Home Depot did the math and has decided not to ban a Lawrence man for a year after he accidentally walked out of a Metheun store with a 41-cent, used pencil in his pocket Thursday.
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td height="8"><spacer type="block" height="8" width="8"></td></tr></tbody></table> “We will not be pursuing any claims against Mr. Panorelli for this incident,” read a statement from Home Depot. “We welcome Mr. Panorelli back as a customer in our stores at any time.”
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td height="8"><spacer type="block" height="8" width="8"></td></tr></tbody></table> On Thursday, Michael Panorelli, 51, a regular customer, was treated like a common thief by the store’s security detail and, despite a corporate apology, he’s fuming.

“That apology doesn’t mean much to me,” he said. “I’m not happy with the way I was treated. I didn’t deserve to have a security guard asking me why I needed a pencil so bad I had to steal one.”
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td height="8"><spacer type="block" height="8" width="8"></td></tr></tbody></table> Panorelli said that after he was stopped by security, he was escorted into a back office, where he was instructed to sign a document that banned him from Home Depot. He was told that the company’s lawyers would be contacting him in within the next two months and might pursue civil charges.
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td height="8"><spacer type="block" height="8" width="8"></td></tr></tbody></table> For Panorelli, it was a clear case of plain ol’ common sense gone awry. It all started when he went to the store early Thursday with George Salas, a homeowner who hired him to do window replacement. The two ventured to the molding and trim aisle and Panorelli asked Salas for a pen or pencil so he could jot down calculations and make markings on lumber. Salas picked up a sharpened carpenter’s pencil and handed it to Panorelli.

“I’m not sure where he got it from. I was in the middle of reaching for something in the bins, so I put the pencil in my pocket to free my hands. Within 15 to 20 seconds, I forgot about it,” Panorelli said.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=113157

He shops there regularly, and they treated him like this???? I'd never darken the Home Depot door again if I were he!

That is not a usual Home Depot action to a customer. Most of the time they are beyond what is considered reasonable in help. It seems like they had a real uranus working for them.

LOL, I hope the banks don't start doing this. I couldn't tell you how many times I accidently walked off with a bank's pen.

mysteriew said:

LOL, I hope the banks don't start doing this. I couldn't tell you how many times I accidently walked off with a bank's pen.

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OMG, just think you could be arrested for those short little pencils.

... Here's one for ya! When I was 17 years old I was at a store looking at some cologne for my dad for Christmas. I had just picked up a seven cent pack of gum (hey, back then they were seven cents) and inadvertantly put it in my jacket pocket while I picked up a bottle of cologne. I didn't see anything I thought my dad would like and walked out of the store. I got a few feet out the door when I felt a hand on my shoulder, was the store's rent-a -cop. He asked me what I had in my pocket and I said I didn't know. I realized then that I had the pack of gum in there. I told the guy I was sorry and tried to give it back. That didn't work. I was taken to the back of the store and treated like I stole a car or something. I was searched, picked up by a police squad car, taken to the police station, photographed, fingerprinted and thrown behind bars. They had called my parents, but it took them quite a long time to get there because I had the family car, which was still at the store where this horrendous crime took place. They finally arrived to pick me up after borrowing my grandmothers car and I had to appear in court the next day. My dad and I went to court and when we were called,te judge asked to see the evidence and was shown the seven cent pack of gum. The judge smiled at first, but clearly annoyed at me being arrested and putting me and my family through all that for a seven cent pack of gum. The judge ordered my dad back to his chambers and asked him if I was a good kid or not and if a $10. fine was too much. My dad said I was a good kid and the $10. fine was okay and it would teach not to be so forgetful. I paid the fine and we left. All that for a pack of gum. The stores are at the mercy of the rent-a-cop security people they hire. I remember what the rent-a-cop said to me at one point, "it was slow tonight, I didn't think I'd get anybody tonight"!! I was embarrassed and felt like a fool, but if were him I would have been embarrased to be involved in any kind of law enforcement. Sorry so long. :behindbar

Stan :laugh: :behindbar

...(((CASSIE))), Are you pickin' on me again? :laugh: :hand: That's really funny because my mom and I were just talking about that little incident the other day. I was only in :behindbar for a couple hours, but that's not somewhere I want to be again!! :doh: Be careful Cassie, I'm gonna lock you up in the Noble if you don't behave!!! :truce:

lol Stan,
I have been taken to the 'little room' a couple of times... once was in Dallas Airport when something was spotted in my carry on (It was a Nintendo Gun for my nephews)

once was at Windsor Castle when I forgot I had cutlery in my purse (long story) but they spotted the knife (and fork) and searched me in the little room :crazy:

Casshew said:

lol Stan,
I have been taken to the 'little room' a couple of times... once was in Dallas Airport when something was spotted in my carry on (It was a Nintendo Gun for my nephews)

once was at Windsor Castle when I forgot I had cutlery in my purse (long story) but they spotted the knife (and fork) and searched me in the little room :crazy:

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LOL, were you planning to eat somebody there?

At least this guy didn't get glued to a toilet seat.

mysteriew said:

LOL, were you planning to eat somebody there?

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heh, no.. I had taken a Thames river cruises to Windsor - and they had a lunch buffet on board - I took the cutlery and then decided the buffet was not very appetizing and didn't eat anything (forgetting I had the knife & fork)

This was also the day I was attacked and bit by a swan

Casshew said:

heh, no.. I had taken a Thames river cruises to Windsor - and they had a lunch buffet on board - I took the cutlery and then decided the buffet was not very appetizing and didn't eat anything (forgetting I had the knife & fork)
This was also the day I was attacked and bit by a swan

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Good thing the buffet wasn't at Home Depot!