Sanford, FL — A 49-year-old 7-Eleven clerk in Sanford, Florida, has been arrested after allegedly locking a customer inside the convenience store during an argument over service. Court records show Mike Whigham faces one count of kidnapping by false imprisonment following the incident on September 15.
Argument Over a Black & Mild Purchase
According to an arrest report, the confrontation began when a customer entered the 7-Eleven on South Orlando Drive to buy a Black & Mild cigar. Whigham was cleaning at the time and did not immediately assist him, which led to a verbal argument.
Police said the clerk told the customer to leave or risk being trespassed and jailed. Instead, the situation escalated when Whigham locked the store’s front door and refused to let the man exit while he called 911.
“You can’t lock me in no store man. You crazy as hell,” the customer can be heard saying in video footage later shared with Orlando-based WOFL.
The customer accused the clerk of kidnapping, prompting Whigham to eventually unlock the door before officers arrived.
Police Report Confirms Video Evidence
When police responded, the customer insisted on pressing charges. He also provided video evidence of the encounter, which investigators say supported his account.
“During the argument I observed [the defendant] leave from behind the cashier counter and walk to the front door, lock the front door, and then physically stand in front of the door pulling the door shut to prevent [the customer] from exiting, while on the phone with 911,” a Sanford officer wrote in the report. “[The customer] was locked [in the] store for approximately one minute and thirty seconds.”
The report, obtained by Law&Crime, noted that the customer’s tone appeared “agitated but not aggressive.”
Clerk’s Admission
Police say Whigham admitted to locking the door but claimed he acted out of fear during the argument.
“[The defendant] stated he wanted [the customer] to leave and called 911. [The defendant] stated he then locked the door to hold [the customer] until police arrived, standing in front of the door for a portion of time. [The defendant] stated he then unlocked the door because he realized what he did was wrong,” the arrest report said.
Whigham’s recollection of events largely matched the customer’s account, according to police.
Legal Proceedings
Whigham was booked into jail and later released on September 19 after posting $5,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court for his arraignment on November 4.
The unusual case has raised questions about the limits of a store employee’s authority when dealing with difficult customers and highlights the potential consequences of overstepping those boundaries.
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