In New York City, Oscar-winning actor and director Forest Whitaker went into Milano Market for a snack but emerged a man mistakenly accused of shoplifting, reports the Daily News.
The "Bird" star was accused of shoplifting and patted down Friday around lunchtime by an overzealous employee at the Milano Market, according to Whitaker's publicist. The encounter was confirmed by a store employee.
The humiliating episode came as Whitaker, who won the Academy Award for his 2006 portrayal of Idi Ami, was walking out.
The suspicious worker stopped Whitaker, charging that he stole something from the store shelves.
"It was around lunchtime and the store was packed," said a Milano employee who refused to give his name. "We were like 50 people deep. The person walked in and out really quickly so our person just made a mistake. The employee apologized immediately. It was an honest mistake. I've been here 14 years and nothing like this has ever happened." …
"This was an upsetting incident given the fact that Forest did nothing more than walk into the deli," said his publicist, Jennifer Plante.
Read more at the Daily News.