ally ▁det ain ▁the ▁sho pper ▁unless ▁they ▁have ▁probable ▁cause ▁to ▁suspect ▁the ▁sho pper ▁of ▁shop l ifting . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁sh opp ers ▁are ▁under ▁no ▁actual ▁oblig ation ▁to ▁acc ede ▁to ▁such ▁a ▁search ▁unless ▁the ▁employee ▁has ▁reasonable ▁grounds ▁to ▁suspect ▁shop l ifting ▁and ▁arr ests ▁the ▁customer ▁or ▁takes ▁or ▁looks ▁at ▁the ▁rece ipt ▁from ▁the ▁customer ▁without ▁viol ating ▁any ▁laws ▁or ▁if ▁the ▁customer ▁has ▁signed ▁a ▁membership ▁agreement ▁which ▁st ip ul ates ▁that ▁customers ▁will ▁subject ▁themselves ▁to ▁ins pe ctions ▁before ▁taking ▁the ▁purchased ▁mer ch and ise ▁from ▁the ▁store . ▁In ▁the ▁cases ▁of ▁Sam ' s ▁Club ▁and ▁Cost co , ▁the ▁contract s ▁merely ▁say ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁their ▁policy ▁to ▁check ▁rece i pts ▁at ▁the ▁exit ▁or ▁that ▁they ▁" res erve ▁the ▁right ." ▁That ▁word ing ▁does ▁not ▁specify ▁the ▁results ▁of ▁non - comp liance ▁by ▁the ▁customer , ▁and ▁since ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁a ▁right ▁to ▁re - check ▁rece i pts ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁place , ▁it ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁leg ally ▁binding ▁at ▁all . ▁The ▁purch aser ▁who ▁holds ▁the ▁rece ipt ▁own s ▁the ▁mer ch and ise . ▁Emp loy ees ▁who ▁har ass , ▁assault , ▁touch , ▁or ▁det ain ▁customers ▁or ▁take ▁their ▁purchased ▁mer ch and ise ▁may ▁be ▁comm itting ▁tort s ▁or ▁cr imes ▁against ▁the ▁customers . ▁ ▁B ottom - of