Never figured Home Depot would be out screwing the little guy….Don’t plan on leaving with your floorplan that you draw on THIER paper in THEIR buildings.

Wonder if you can get arrested for stealing dust?
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http://www.volunteertv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4148708
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=bizarre&id=3654039

Home Depot apologizes for banning carpenter who took a pencil
Methuen, MA (AP) - Home Depot has apologized to a carpenter in Massachusetts who was banned by the chain for absent-mindedly pocketing a pencil.

Michael Panorelli says he was with a client and had just bought some lumber from a Home Depot in Lawrence last week.

Panorelli says he needed to do some quick math, so the client handed him a pencil sitting next to the register. Afterward, he absent-mindedly put it in his pocket.

Panorelli says he was met in the parking lot by a worker who gave him two letters. One told him he was banned from Home Depot stores worldwide because of shoplifting. The other said he’d be hearing from the company’s lawyers.

Panorelli told his story to the Eagle-Tribune newspaper.

After the story ran, home depot issued a written apology, blaming the incident on a narrow interpretation of its shoplifting-prevention rules. Still, Panorelli says he has no intention of doing business there again.

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http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=bizarre&id=3653904

Home Depot apologizes to pencil thief
(11/21/05 - METHUEN, MA) - Home Depot Inc. apologized to a carpenter who was banned by the chain worldwide after he absent-mindedly pocketed a pencil he had used up to do some quick math. Michael Panorelli, 51, of Lawrence, was accused of shoplifting from the Methuen store last Thursday and banned from Home Depots.

Panorelli was with a client and had just bought some lumber when the client picked up the pencil sitting next to a cash register for Panorelli to use. Panorelli pocketed the pencil and was met in the parking lot by a worker who asked for identification.

The worker presented Panorelli with one letter saying he was banned from Home Depot, and another advising that he would be hearing from the company’s lawyers.

Panorelli took his story to the Eagle-Tribune newspaper in Lawrence, which published it over the weekend.

On Sunday, Atlanta-based Home Depot issued a written apology, saying the incident was prompted by a narrow interpretation of its shoplifting-prevention rules.

“We will not be pursuing any claims against Mr. Panorelli for this incident,” the statement said. “We welcome Mr. Panorelli back as a customer in our stores at any time.”

But the carpenter said he had no intention of doing business there again, adding, “Why should I put money in someone’s pocket when they treat me like this?”

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http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525918

Newspaper Saves Carpenter Banned from Home Depot for Taking One Pencil
Published: November 21, 2005 5:15 PM ET

NEW YORK Thanks to the daily newspaper in Lawrence, Ma., a local carpenter will not be banned from worldwide Home Depots for life–for absent-mindedly sticking a pencil from one of the stores in his pocket.

Home Depot Inc. has apologized to a carpenter, Michael Panorellis, 51, of Lawrence, who was banned by the chain worldwide after he pocketed a pencil he had used to do some quick math. “We will not be pursuing any claims against Mr. Panorelli for this incident,” the statement said. “We welcome Mr. Panorelli back as a customer in our stores at any time.”

But Panorelli said he had no intention of doing business there again, adding, “Why should I put money in someone’s pocket when they treat me like this?”

Panorelli was accused of shoplifting from the Methuen store last Thursday. He was with a client and had just bought some lumber when the client picked up the pencil sitting next to a cash register for Panorelli to use. Panorelli ended up holding on to the pencil and was met in the parking lot by a worker who asked for identification, then presented him a letter saying he was banned from Home Depot. He gave him another letter advising that he would be hearing from the company’s lawyers.

Panorelli took his story to the Eagle-Tribune newspaper in Lawrence, which published it over the weekend.

In response, Atlanta-based Home Depot issued a written apology, saying the incident was prompted by a narrow interpretation of its shoplifting-prevention rules.

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