A viral incident at a US gym has ignited fury after a staff member appeared to side with a white woman accused of stealing from a black patron's designer handbag. The confrontation, which unfolded at a Planet Fitness in Warren, Michigan, was filmed by victim Arie Milaun and shared widely on Instagram from November 30.
Confrontation in the Locker Room
Arie Milaun discovered her unlocked locker had been raided following a workout. Her ID, debit card, credit cards, perfume, and even post-workout cookies were missing from her Louis Vuitton bag. She soon found a woman in the locker room with her purse and confronted her.
In the heated exchange, the unidentified suspect claimed she had simply switched purses with her sister and was confused. "There was somebody else here with me. I did not do that," she insisted. However, when Milaun emptied the contents of the woman's bag, she found not only her own belongings scattered in the room but also the ID of another black woman.
"I don't even know what's in there," the alleged thief said, as Milaun recovered her AirPods, charger, gift cards, and other valuables. Milaun accused the woman of eating her cookies and repeatedly demanded the return of her property.
Employee's Response Fuels Anger
The commotion drew the attention of a Planet Fitness employee. According to the video, the staff member listened to the suspect's story—who tearfully claimed the purse was a common design and an identical one was in her car—and then told Milaun to "calm down."
This reaction sparked immediate backlash online. Instagram users condemned the employee's intervention. "Calm down is crazy," one user wrote. "If the shoe was on the other foot, someone would have went to jail." Another argued the employee "could clearly see that she had her s**t and they let her go," adding, "Shame on Planet Fitness."
Victim's Account and Police Involvement
In a follow-up video, Milaun detailed the events. She admitted forgetting her lock that day and placing her bag in an empty locker. Returning from her workout, she saw her Louis Vuitton bag on a bench and initially thought it was a coincidence. Upon checking, she found her locker empty.
She said the suspect had used her lotion, applied her perfume, and even stashed her own glasses in Milaun's bag. Starbucks and Sephora gift cards were also taken. Milaun decided to call the police, holding the other woman's found ID.
The authorities revealed the suspect was already "on their radar" for potential identity theft. Milaun stated she did not blame the Planet Fitness employee, who she believed understood the theft was occurring and pushed the suspect out to prevent escalation.
The Daily Mail has contacted both Planet Fitness and Warren police for comment.
