The sheriff of Sacramento County, California, has accused Target leaders of preventing deputies from thwarting shoplifting incidents despite the store requesting help to stymie rampant retail crime.

"We don’t tell big retail how to do their jobs, they shouldn’t tell us how to do ours," Sheriff Jim Cooper posted in a lengthy X post Thursday. 

The sheriff’s office and Target worked to conduct an operation at the store to nab shoplifters, but the plan apparently crumbled after Target leaders made a list of rules for where and how deputies and detectives could arrest the suspects, Fox Business reports.

"At the briefing, we were told by their head of regional security that we could not contact suspects inside the store; we could not handcuff suspects in the store; and if we arrested someone, they wanted us to process them outside… behind the store… in the rain," the sheriff continued, adding earlier in his comment that he "can’t make this stuff up."

The sheriff said Target was scared of having people video arrests in the store and post the videos online.

"Our deputies watched a lady on camera bring in her own shopping bags, go down the body wash aisle, and grab a bunch of Native body washes. Then she went to customer service and return them! Target chose to do nothing and simply let it happen," he wrote.

"Yet somehow, locking up deodorant and raising prices on everyday items we need to survive is their best answer," Cooper added. 

I can’t make this stuff up. Recently, we tried to help Target. Our Property Crimes detectives and sergeant were contacted numerous times by Target to help them with shoplifters, mostly who were known transients. We coordinated with them and set up an operation with detectives and… pic.twitter.com/2TJCXApGMs

— Jim Cooper (@SheriffJCooper) November 9, 2023