New Crime In NYC: Buying While Black
Disgusting episode at Barneys where a 19-year-old was apparently reported by a sales clerk at Barney's and then handcuffed and detained by police -- after buying an expensive belt at the store. Neetzan Zimmerman posts at Gawker:
Trayon Christian, a "fashion-forward" 19-year-old from Queens, was excited to spend his paycheck on a $350 Ferragamo belt he had been admiring, so he headed down to Barneys' flagship department store, debit card in hand.But just moments after leaving the store with his bought-and-paid-for accessory, Trayon was stopped by two undercover NYPD cops.
"They said my card wasn't real, it was fake. They said someone at Barneys called to report it," he told the Daily News.
Trayon told the officers he had done everything by the book: Signed his name, showed the clerk his ID. But he was handcuffed and taken into custody just the same.
"I kept thinking, 'Why is this happening to me?'," he recalled. "The detectives were asking me, 'How could you afford a belt like this? Where did you get this money from?'"
In the lawsuit Trayon filed, the teen says he was in a holding cell for two hours before being released with an apology.
A spokeswoman for the NYPD said Trayon was "held in police custody for approximately 42 minutes" and was released "as soon as we determined that the card was authentic."
Speechless.
Peter McQuaid at October 23, 2013 12:35 PM
Disgusting.
Beth Cartwright at October 23, 2013 12:53 PM
I had to do a double take when I saw the names: Zimmerman and Trayon.
Aside from that, this is more a question is it more the stores fault or the police. I'm leaning toward the stores. Also wondering about the police response time.
Joe J at October 23, 2013 12:53 PM
I hope he enjoys his free belt, once they settle the law suit with a nice stack of bills. I'm thinking he should hold out for the Benjamins, and for more than a handful.
I R A Darth Aggie at October 23, 2013 1:19 PM
I blame the cops. Cops suck generally. Badly suck. Complete lack of professionalism. An honest cop (I know...hahahaha!!) would have stopped Trayon, ascertained what was going on, taken him back to the store and made the clerk at the store apologise in front of him, at the very least. And the cop too would have apologised to Trayon there and then.
Fuck cops.
G. at October 23, 2013 1:38 PM
This is racist, from the title to the crime itself. To actually include "black" anywhere. We're ALL criminals now thanks to our government, regardless of race so there's no need to racialize this... Just call it "Innocent Teen arrested for buying a belt." Haven't you read the papers lately? We have no rights anymore, we're all under surveillance, we're all suspected of a crime from the time we set foot our of our house to driving to an airport... This should NOT shock anyone that this poor kid, black, white or otherwise, was arrested. It's just a matter of time before saying the word "bomb" in a post like this gets ME arrested under suspicion of some BS.
LMAO
Lee Ladisky at October 23, 2013 1:39 PM
Leaving aside any opinions I have about spending 350 dollars for a belt, this is essentially "guilty until proven innocent."
I wonder if he has grounds for a lawsuit.
Patrick at October 23, 2013 3:46 PM
Really all of this could have been solved on the spot with a cell phone and the 800 number on the back of the card; assuming he had some sort of state id. Call the card/bank and verify the card is valid. Then take him back to the store to get an apology from the manager.
Jim P. at October 23, 2013 5:45 PM
Far too many of these "racial profiling" stories end up being something else that I'll be the skeptical one here; there has got to be more to this story than the news' spin of "shopping while black."
Barneys didn't respond to the reporter's request, the NYPD says that it was simply following up on a complaint. The ONLY one whose side of this story we are hearing is the "victim." That alone makes me skeptical enough to ask what are the real facts?
Of course, I won't hold my breathe waiting for answers from the news media. If it turns out to be something other than "shopping while black" we will never hear more of this story again.
Charles at October 23, 2013 7:16 PM
The response time is amazing...too good to be believable. As in "No officer, the person we called about ran out the door 2 hours ago."
Years ago my friend had the problem that a company wouldn't let him buy a car because there was no way that he legitimately had the money. He did...he started as a garbage man right out of high school while living at home - they made good money -- like $15 starting back then.
The Former Banker at October 24, 2013 12:17 AM
The cops here-and often-are in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. They ignore it or let him go and it was fake, they're in the hot seat. They investigate and let him go, they're in the hot seat.
IF this happened exactly as reported, the blame would lay with the clerk. Except if she has been instructed to watch for possible fraud and report it.
I don't find it odd at all that there would be a quick response time to Barney's. In fact, barney's probably pays to have offduty cops around the store at all times.
momof4 at October 24, 2013 6:35 AM
As an update; the local NYC TV news reports that Barneys denies any involvement in this case, and not really surprising, "Rev" Al not-too-Sharpton is demanding to meet with Barneys' CEO, and lastly, Nanny Bloomberg is telling others to come forward to tell their story so that the city can be rid of such prejudice in the 21st century.
So, it looks like Barneys is going to be the race-baiting industry's latest shake-down victim.
Charles at October 24, 2013 8:24 PM
I call bullshit, given that Sharpton's outfit got involved so quickly. Tawana Brawley, anyone? Crystal Mangum?
I no longer reflexively believe every complaint of racism I hear. Al Sharpton and his ilk cried wolf too many times.
roadgeek at October 25, 2013 5:03 PM
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