What should I do if falsely accused of stealing in front of a store full of people?

Today my girlfriend & I went into the local dollar store so I could search for sunglasses. She had a pair of sunglasses already on. I didn't find anything that I needed and as we were leaving the store the clerk @ the front desk accused my girlfriend of stealing the glasses she had on. There were several people at the register in line to be waited on as the clerk argued with us and embarrassed us tremendously! We ended up leaving the store and being so upset we went back to the store and asked to speak to the manager. I asked her to review the camera as we entered the store to prove that we were falsely accused and very embarrassed. I work in a public eye and being accused or even around someone that does those things is not acceptable. Mind you we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone knows everyones business. What should I do? I am going back to the store tomorrow so that way they have had time to preview the camera tape to show that the clerk was very wrong

Ask the manager to give you a written apology in case you need it on the job. Can they give your friend a job a the store to show they trust her? Maybe the store can run an appreciation add in the local newspaper saying how good you are for helping kids or whatever you do in your spare time to bolster your reputation or put a poster in their window. Ask the manager to help you find a solution to that. Other than that, hold your head high and those who know you will not be swayed by false accusations.

So what so you want? People to tell you to sue? Grow up, it happens. The two of you must have been doing something suspicious to make them think you were stealing

If you did it turn yourself in

What else is there for us to answer? You pretty well covered all I would tell you do in my opinion anyway...go tomorrow like the manager said for you to do..I'm sure the manager wants to do the right thing. About the clerk's misunderstanding, I feel the clerk has a heavy job caring for the customers,
and having to keep an eye for would be shoplifters all the
time. It would be very easy for a clerk to make a mistake like that...(another price good people have to pay to put up with things bad people do). I believe your girlfriend is innocent
simply because you were looking for sunglasses for yourself,
and Dollar Stores are limited on variety...what you say makes
all manners of sense...by all means go back for the review.

Wow, that must have been really embarrassing! I think I would have died if that happend to me. You handled it right by not overreacting. Did the clerk say that she saw her steal the glasses? Did she see her snag them, put in her pocket, put the on and leave? When you go back, make sure you get an apology, a sincere one. The clerk had no right accusing your friend without any proof. Just because your friend had glasses on doesn't mean anything. Be sure to mention that her arguing with you in front of the people in the store. That was very inappropriate. Ask her what their policy is.