Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams was caught shoplifting at Lord & Taylor at Destiny USA on Sunday and paid a $500 fine for the incident, The Post-Standard reported Friday.

Carter-Williams went to a fitting room and put a bathrobe and gloves into his backpack, according to the article, which cited “two sources with direct knowledge of the situation.” Carter-Williams was seen by store security going to the fitting room with the items and leaving it without them visible, according to the article.

The store security detained Carter-Williams when he left the store on the second level of the mall. The security officer handcuffed Carter-Williams and photos of the incident were soon published on Twitter.

Carter-Williams signed a form acknowledging the theft before paying the fine with his credit card, according to the article. Carter-Williams, who was not charged, told The Post-Standard the incident was “a misunderstanding” but declined to explain it any further.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim told The Post-Standard it was Carter-Williams’ “private business” and “unless the store comes to me, my hands are tied.”

The process for handling the incident was typical for other issues at the store, according to the article.

Carter-Williams took $120 worth of merchandise – an $85 bathrobe and $35 gloves, according to the article. Shoplifters cannot keep the items once the fine is paid, according to the article.

He is not allowed to go to any Lord & Taylor store for two years, according to the article.

Published on December 14, 2012 at 7:50 pm

Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu