Disappointing and Embarrassing Experience

On February 21, 2026, my family and I had a distressing experience at Mr Price Clearwater while shopping on the upper level near Mr Price Sports. We were unexpectedly approached by a woman who inquired if we had seen her phone. After we informed her that we had not, she accused us of taking it, citing our proximity to her and her friend while browsing clothes. Despite our offer to have our bags searched, she refused and instead suggested that we might have hidden her phone somewhere in the store or even concealed it within our own phones. We repeatedly urged her to involve the store staff or security to conduct a search, but she declined and resorted to insults before speaking with a staff member. We continued to request that the staff search us to clear any suspicion, but they informed us that they were waiting for security to arrive. The woman eventually left the store, and we reiterated our request to the staff, feeling that we were not being treated equitably as Mr Price customers. It seemed that the other party was afforded more respect and privilege, possibly due to our skin color. We also asked if the security cameras could be checked, only to be told that there were none. This incident was profoundly disappointing and embarrassing, and it could have been managed more effectively by the staff at Mr Price Clearwater.