Image Source: New York Daily News BY COLLIN RUANE ANCHOR CHRISTIAN BRYANT Actor Forest Whitaker is making headlines, but not for a new movie. He was reportedly accused of shoplifting at a deli on New York’s upper East Side. A Milano Market employee reportedly searched Whitaker after he believed he saw the actor swipe an item from one of the shelves. The New York Daily News details the alleged scuffle between the actor and deli worker. “[Whitaker] was accused of shoplifting and patted down … by an overzealous employee … The humiliating episode came as Whitaker …  was walking out.” They do add, though: “ Regular customers said they were surprised by Whitaker’s story.” With the deli not saying much about the incident, The Gothamist believes they have their reasons for staying quiet. “No one at Milano Market would give comment to us when we called today. Which means they've probably learned their lesson: only bad things can come of frisking the man who played Idi Amin, Ghost Dog, AND directed Waiting To Exhale.” Whitaker has not made a public comment on the incident just yet... ...but a spokesperson for Whitaker told TMZ : "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. Frisking individuals without proof/evidence is a violation of rights." According to the New York Post , store employees have denied the incident with Whitaker even took place.