Santa Monica store manager confronts alleged shoplifter in viral video
A Santa Monica store manager is continuing to voice her frustrations over the recent wave of retail-related crimes plaguing Southern California after a viral video showing her confronting a suspected shoplifter back in April.
Amber Jolly can be heard as she tears into the woman on April 12 while recording the confrontation after several items were taken from Gramercy Boutique, located on Montana Avenue.
"You give me my jacket right now!," she can be heard shouting in the video, frustration clearly evident in her voice. "Give me back my f— jacket!"
Just seconds before the woman rummages through her baf and hands Jolly both jackets she had allegedly taken from the boutique.
"Here you go," the suspected shoplifter says before Jolly shouts, "Don't steal from my f—store!"
Unbelievably, the woman retorts with an attempted explanation of what is and isn't legal in the incident — all while handing over the merchandise it appears she had just stolen.
"Don't f— show your f— face on Montana Avenue again!," Jolly says, ending the video that has stirred reaction from people siding with what they believe is a justified response to the attempted crime.
Jolly says that she was compelled by the store owner's dedication to keeping the business up and running, even in the midst of the rampant spike in retail thefts across the Golden State.
"Businesses are closing left and right because of all this looting going on," Jolly said. "The system is broken, nothing is being done about it."
She says that when she called police to report the incident, they suggested she contact the store's insurance company.
"I just think it's like, the people are trying to get away with it because there's no consequences," Jolly said, noting that the "meltdown reaction" came from a place of concern for her community and even the girl in the video. "I'm worried for her and she's already doing this."
Santa Monica police have not yet confirmed if a report was filed for the incident.
