Police officer pulls gun on man for 'stealing' mints he paid for
An off-duty police officer has been caught on CCTV drawing his gun on a customer after thinking he had shoplifted a packet of Mentos.
The footage was taken in a convenience store in California on Saturday, showing a man paying for the mints at the checkout before reaching over to take them and put them in his pocket.
A police officer standing in line behind the man appears to think he stole the $1.50 mints and demands he gives them back, the Mirror reported.
The customer can be seen trying to show he paid for the Mentos, but raises his hands as the cop pulls out his gun.
The shop assistant then appears to explain the man did pay for the mints and the officer eventually apologises.
“The hardest part for me, believe it or not, wasn’t the gun, it was his arrogance, his way of talking to me, he treated me like a piece of trash,” the customer, later identified as Jose Arreola, told CBS.
Chief Corey Sianez, of the Buena Park police, later put a statement about the incident on Facebook.
“I want you to know that after I watched the video I found it to be disturbing as I’m sure it was to you,” the statement read.
“Because there is an ongoing personnel investigation and potential litigation pending against the city, I am unable to discuss the details of our investigation.”
