Two Teens Sue Midlothian Store, Saying It Wrongly Accused Them of Shoplifting
TL;DR: Two 15-year-old girls have sued the company that runs the Uptown Cheapskate on Commonwealth Centre Parkway. Their lawsuits say store staff wrongly accused them of shoplifting, held them and had them questioned by Chesterfield police, even though the store's own surveillance video showed they took nothing.
Quick facts
- Who: Two 15-year-old girls, suing through their parents, against Poffertjes, LLC, which does business as Uptown Cheapskate, and two unnamed defendants
- What: Lawsuits claiming defamation and false imprisonment, seeking $250,000 each
- When: Lawsuits filed October 22, 2026; the date of the incident is not given
- Where: Uptown Cheapskate, 4513 Commonwealth Centre Parkway, Midlothian
The story
Two 15-year-old girls have filed lawsuits in Chesterfield Circuit Court against Poffertjes, LLC, the company that operates the Uptown Cheapskate resale store at 4513 Commonwealth Centre Parkway, according to a court roundup published by Richmond BizSense.
Each suit was filed on October 22 by a parent on the girl's behalf, the usual route when a minor sues. The two complaints are nearly identical, and each says the girl was at the store with a friend.
The lawsuits say employees accused the girls of shoplifting, detained them and caused them to be interrogated by Chesterfield police. The complaints say the store's own surveillance footage confirmed the girls had taken nothing.
Each girl claims defamation and false imprisonment and asks for $250,000. Both suits also name two unidentified defendants, listed as "Jane Doe 1" and "Jane Doe 2." Both girls are represented by Jonathan E. Halperin and Andrew Lucchetti of Halperin Law Center.
These are claims made in lawsuits, and a court has not ruled on them. The police department is not a defendant.
The Chesterfield Report is not naming the two girls because they are minors.
Key players
- Poffertjes, LLC (Uptown Cheapskate): Operator of the Commonwealth Centre Parkway store, named as defendant
- "Jane Doe 1" and "Jane Doe 2": Unidentified defendants named in both suits
- Jonathan E. Halperin and Andrew Lucchetti: Halperin Law Center attorneys representing both girls
Key dates
- 2026-10-22: Both lawsuits filed in Chesterfield Circuit Court (cases CL26010138 and CL26010141)
Why it matters: The suits ask a court to decide whether a store acted properly in holding two teenagers and calling police over a theft that, the girls say, its own video showed did not happen.
Correction (2026-11-06): An earlier version of this story stated the lawsuits' claims as fact, said in our own voice that the store "falsely accused" the girls, and called them Chesterfield residents, which the court filings do not say. The story now attributes those claims to the lawsuits. We have also removed the girls' names because they are minors.
Places
Development timeline
Related links
Read the original at Richmond BizSense →
Sources
- Richmond BizSense - The Docket: Local Court Roundup for 11-5-26
- Uptown Cheapskate - Locations
- Chesterfield County Circuit Court