Is it legal for a merchant to take your purse from you and lock it in a cubicle? The cubicle is locked and you are given the key.

Question

Is it legal for a merchant to take your purse from you and lock it in a cubicle? The cubicle is locked and you are given the key.

Answer

First, I'll assume you were a customer and not an employee. In my opinon, the merchant can establish rules for his facility, so long as they don't discriminate against people. Additionally, you could have chosen not to patronize the merchant, if his procedures were offensive to you. Assuming thaty ou are given a key to the cubicle, and that no one else can gain access to your purse, that woudl seem to be okay. If they go thorugh your purse and/or take anything from you. then that would be potentially an invasion of your privacy. Finally, when you enter some stores, there is a sign that states "management reserves the right to search your bags" These measures atr put into place to prevent shoplifting, and so laong as they are reasonable, the seem legal to me.