Boots security accusation.

Bit harsh mate

Shoplifting is out of control.

You act what could be perceived as suspiciously, frequently in the same shop and decided to leave when staff paid attention to you. Which isn't going to look not suspicious is it?

It's a non-event, no-one did anything or said anything to you.

You already know how your behaviour can look suspicious so either stop doing it or stop shopping there if you're going to complain that staff pay attention to you.

Why would they spy on you for putting items in the trolley?

Our security team are mainly plain clothes & blend in with other shoppers so you would be unaware of them anyway.

Like I said there are 'red flag' behaviours which security are trained to spot. Kids putting stuff in trolleys is not one of them, having a disabled DC is also not one of them. Security would not be following someone because they have a child. It just means if there are red flags & there is also a child they cannot ignore & if a theft does take place they have to escalate to police to safeguard the child.

Would you want security staff & police to turn a blind eye if there was evidence that someone was exploiting a child or vulnerable adult in order to steal.
Many of these people will be stealing to order for organized criminal gangs with money going on to fund other serious crimes. These gangs do not care who they exploit.

Well she also used to put loads of tins of dog food in the trolley in Aldi. Only Aldi and we never even had a dog. Never had anyone spying on us.

We just follow the advice of the police & profit protection teams. If someone is displaying 'red flags' for shoplifting & there is a child or vulnerable adult involved we have to observe & report. That doesn't mean having a disabled child is the 'red flag' it would be other behaviours but having a child would mean we couldn't ignore it.

You would be surprised how many shoplifters exploit their children or disabled people.

I think you're overreacting. The alarm went off when I left Boots yesterday after buying an eye pencil as there was a small tag on it. I paid at the self service tills and didn't notice. The security guard was fine about it although I didn't have a receipt and took the tag off.

I think Boots need to address the issue though. If they're going to tag items they need to have someone at the self service tills keeping an eye out for tags and removing them.

I'll picture the scene 2 children non verbal ASD and ADHD around 3 and 6. The youngest in a SN buggy that he used to escape out of. The oldest on reins. I might as well be instructing aliens to shoplift.

If they didn't speak to you why didn't you just politely ask 'Can I help you?' when they got close to you. This would have given them the chance to explain why they were there & gave you the opportunity to explain what you were wanting to look at & maybe buy.

Where I work we have been told by police and company profit protection team to never ignore 'red flag' behaviour for shoplifting where a child or vulnerable adult is present as it's a safeguarding concern. We always report these even if low value theft.

It's quite common for someone to use a child or vulnerable adult especially a push chair or wheelchair when shoplifting.

If you can manage your ADHD enough to choose the make up products you can manage to get a receipt when you pay. Show the receipt to the guard & problem solved.

Shoplifting is a huge problem & shops need to prevent it. There are 'red flags' in people's behaviour that security will pick up on & it sounds like you do display some of these even if they are unintentional. The guards can't do anything if you genuinely pay & keep a receipt.

Just get a receipt!

Get your receipt!

You are obviously behaving in a way that is arousing the suspicion of the security people. You need to think about this and modify your shopping behaviour accordingly. That would be my advice.

Then remember to take the dang receipt with you when you are finished checking out. You are creating problems when the solution is simple.

I've regularly shopped, bought and left the shop with the alarm then beeping, security has come over and spoken to me. I never feel that I've done anything wrong because I know I haven't stolen anything.
My dh a lovely respectable head teacher used to get 'eyed' and followed by security in several high street shops. 6ft 2 with a shaved head and jeans and hoodie outfit. It became a game for us if I'm honest!
Op noone has accused you of stealing, nothing was said to you on the 2 guard incident and I really think you are over thinking it and allowing your anxiety to 'spook' you .
If you feel strongly enough about it, ask to speak, calmly, to the manager, ask if there's an issue, explain how you felt intimidated etc.
But at the end if the day, pay and get a receipt. I always get a receipt especially from the self service check out and if there's an issue I let a staff member know.

i think you’re making a mountain out of a molehill. Use a basket next time. If you’re aware that a basket is a “psychological trick to make you buy more”, then you won’t fall for it, will you?

But you said they didn’t speak to you, so how did they refuse to let you remain in the shop?

I make a point of taking my receipt whenever I'm in the local Morrison's. Was once stopped by a newish security chap just after I'd paid at the checkout.

He claimed he'd seen me walking out of the drinks section. (No, he hadn't.)

I let him check my bag of shopping in public, against my receipt. He looked at my bottle of lemonade and went bright red - he obviously thought I'd nicked a bottle of vodka.

He did apologise. I told him it was fine, though I was a tad annoyed.

Now now @QuintessentialDragon enough with being rational now!! 😆

The security guards get to know faces of suspects or people with suspicious behaviours

Order online for click and collect?

I stopped reading halfway through but you do sound guilty. Maybe once in a blue moon will an alarm go off when leaving a store. Sounds like a it’s happening a bit too often to be an innocent coincidence for you.

I have no clue what this post is about... Is there a point to it?

I always get a receipt. It is proof of payment. I think it is necessary these days.

Huh? I never pick up receipts in supermarkets and places like Boots. Why would I? What should I do with it? I never stole anything from any of these places either.

As for OP's situation, why are people so meek and scared of everything nowadays? Similar situation happened to me once. Went to Morrisons to pick up some foodstuffs and other bits. Wasn't 'acting shifty' or looking for security, just minding my business. Clocked a security guard after a while, sort of following me and standing behind me. Turned around and asked: excuse me, can I help you with something? End of story. He left.

And I can perfectly well understand why I was followed. I went there after a long day of helping my friend to move flats. Cleaning, packing, carrying boxes. I was wearing a tracksuit way past it's best and dirty from all dusting/cleaning/carrying, I was tired, hair in a bun, face sweaty. Had a backpack with me (on my back). Probably looked a right state. So don't blame the guy. But I didn't come to steal anything, so wasn't embarrassed, intimidated or outraged. He was just doing his job.

Well yeah obviously I remember the mum that got her child to shoplift from his buggy. They were actually living in extreme poverty.

But what did she think I was going to do with all that sun cream? It's not like I could leg it with them. Both have epilepsy as well. I've never stolen anything in my life. Nothing about their behaviour was suspicious.

Strange how when I went in with friends nobody watched me. They just see a young mum and think shoplifter that's the jist of it. Our local Boots actually closed over a year ago. A lot of local mums actually said they felt uncomfortable going in. Even though the shoplifters on the CCTV stills were mostly young men.