Don't listen to Psykerr, he's probably a new temporary associate who thinks because he spends 13 hours in the store a week, he knows what he's talking about. He is wrong. He really just needs to go finish his training.
MOST associates will not judge based on the color of your skin. Like stated above, you will see a person try to steal from us no matter what color, what they wear, or what they smell like. The hardest hit areas for theft are Powertools. Period. So we are told to watch over those areas and give anyone believed to be doing something wrong extra customer service as to give them the idea that they are being watched and to deter an attempted steal.
The fact of the matter is, at any given time, there is likely someone in the store attempting to get away with something they are not supposed to. And we are told to remain vigilant of that.