A store employee from Milano Market spoke to the New York Daily News about the pat down Forest Whitaker endured after he was accused of stealing from the establishment.

“It was around lunchtime and the store was packed,” said a Milano employee who refused to give his name. “We were like 50 people deep. The person walked in and out really quickly so our person just made a mistake. The employee apologized immediately. It was an honest mistake. I’ve been here 14 years and nothing like this has ever happened.”

The employee’s comments still do not sit well with Forest, according to his representative.

This time, however, the NYPD is not behind the act; it was allegedly an employee of the Upper West Side’s Milano Market who carried out the embarrassing pat down. Whitaker said he was falsely accused of lifting an item off the store’s shelf and subsequently frisked by an employee. An eyewitness told the entertainment site that the Academy Award winner was frisked in plain view of everyone.

“This was an upsetting incident given the fact that Forest did nothing more than walk into the deli. What is most unfortunate about this situation is the inappropriate way store employees are treating patrons of their establishment.