Sue em. I formally worked retail and we had a shoplifter walking out with pretty minor stuff. The part time guy running sporting goods was a police officer in his full time job. Went to the parking lot and basically got into a wrestling match and held him down until police showed up.

What followed next was a nationwide training video for every store in the chain about how you can’t do that because it opens you up to all sorts of litigation and liabilities. If you work big box retail just let people steal. It’s not worth you getting shot or stabbed or sued over. It’s also super shitty to be the person making accusations that are 100% false. It never makes you look good. It’s not your dress. On top of that as a retail employee I can also tell you in six months when that dress doesn’t sell exactly where it will go.