Subject- Serious Incident at Dischem Northgate – Request for Immediate Attention

I am sharing my distressing experience at Dischem Northgate in the hopes that this matter is taken seriously. On the 17th of February, 2025, my friend and I visited Dischem Northgate at approximately 11:00 AM so my friend could purchase makeup similar to mine. After browsing the makeup section, we left the store and decided to visit another store and grab a bite to eat. We returned around 1:00 PM, where my friend selected the makeup she wanted, and I bought some hairspray. As we were leaving, a security guard approached me and instructed me to return to the store, informing me that the control officer wanted to speak with me. The officer walked us through the store with an arrogant demeanour, drawing attention from bystanders, leaving me feeling panicked, confused & humiliated. He led us to a room, closed the door, and began raising his voice at me. He aggressively accused me of *****ing an item, even though there was no evidence to support the accusation. In a state of shock, I began crying uncontrollably as he pointed his finger in my face, demanding answers. He claimed I had ****** something earlier at 11:00 AM and showed me footage that appeared to show me placing my hand into my bag. I showed him my own makeup, which was clearly old and almost finished. He then asked a staff member to find similar products and placed a new lip-gloss next to mine, saying "SEE!" I showed him that my lip-gloss was practically empty, but he was still looking for something to accuse me of. He treated me disgustingly. The interrogation continued for nearly 45 minutes, and despite repeatedly assuring him that I had not ****** anything, the officer persisted with his accusations. At one point, another gentleman arrived to investigate, and we were asked to wait outside. My friend, who was ill, had to sit on the floor during this entire ordeal. After reviewing the footage, I was finally told that there was no evidence to support the claim that I had ****** anything, but I would be contacted if anything changed. While I was eventually given a vague arrogant apology, the damage had already been done. The way I was treated, the emotional distress I endured, and the lack of empathy shown has left me feeling deeply humiliated and violated. This entire experience has been traumatic, and I am still processing what happened. Yes, I understand that everyone needs to do their job at the end of the day, but this entire situation was handled in such a disgusting way. I have sent an email to head office. No one has even had the decency to reply. The email contains more details about this very serious incident.