Jovita Jones, falsely accused of shoplifting
Memphis, TN — Jovita Jones, a Howard University graduate and tutor from Memphis, Tennessee, says she was a victim of racial profiling after being falsely accused and handcuffed for allegedly shoplifting at Victoria’s Secret store.On Monday, Jones came to a Victoria’s Secret at Carriage Crossing in Collierville to ask a sales clerk to remove the sensor left on the bra that she bought earlier in the store for which she had a receipt with.
She left the bra at the counter and looked around the store. She was on the way to the dressing room with new items to purchase when a police officer approached her and handcuffed her.
“He could have asked, ma’am, can I search your bag? He didn’t do any of that. He just came in and salled handcuffs on me. He made up in his mind I was guilty,” Jones told Fox 13.
Cage said the police eventually removed the handcuffs after being searched, and seeing that she didn’t have any stolen products.
Victoria’s Secret has issued an apology statement and said that after investigating, the clerk involved no longer works there. They also said that they are meeting with their other associates “to reinforce our values and policies.”
In addition, the company offered Jones a $100 gift card, but she said that it “is not going to take back the discrimination, humiliation, defamation that I faced in that store that day.”
Meanwhile, she contacted the local NAACP office, who is also reviewing the case.