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Original poster

I accidentally shoplifted - advice needed

371 replies

iamsodumb · 12/03/2021 15:33

NC as this will be outing.

I work in the NHS and there is a shop on the premises which I go to near enough every day Monday-Friday. Today at about 11am I went and bought (?!) my usual packet of crisps and can of Coke. I used the self scanner as I always do and walked out.

This afternoon I got a call from my supervisor saying the big boss wanted to speak to me. When I went to her office she said I hadn't paid for my items and the shop have me on cctv not paying. I was absolutely mortified and checked my online banking and sure enough there's no charge from the shop today so I don't dispute I have done it. I don't know if I've tapped my card and it's not gone through or if I've absent mindedly scanned the items then walked off with them. I genuinely haven't got a clue. She said the shop wanted to escalate it to head office but advised me to go and speak to them myself.

I went to the shop and apologised and offered to pay but the manager had gone home. The shop assistant phoned her manager and he said I was not to pay but was to come and speak to him on Monday?! So instead of this being resolved on the day I have to worry about it over the weekend.

I'm not particularly worried about police involvement etc, I know I didn't mean to do it and have never stolen in my life so can't imagine it would go anywhere. However, I am concerned about work. Could this impact my job?! I asked my own supervisor and she said she doesn't think so but couldn't say for sure. I'm so worried! I can't believe all of this drama for less than £3 which I have offered to pay!!

If anyone has any knowledge I would appreciate any insight you have on what I can expect the outcome of this to be.

OP posts:
SionnachGlic · 13/03/2021 22:55

Def bring someone with you on Mon just to witness the conversation. Get the payment sorted, ask him is that issue now resolved & let him confirm. And then take him to task about contacting your employer. Ask for his manager's contact information & tell him you are making a complaint about the breach of your privacy & levelling a theft charge against you to your employer, reputational damage, slander.... even if ypu don't take it further (but I would)..it might make him re-think his interactions with customers in future. And stop worrying, you have nothing to worry about...but it is soooo annoying.

BrownMilk · 14/03/2021 14:34

@iamsodumb

I think they must have shown the head of department and maybe my line manager the footage. The head of department doesn't know me so my manager said she was asked to identify me but not told anything else. I didn't think to ask if she identified me from cctv footage because the data protection side of things hadn't occurred to me but I'll get clarification on that from my manager on Monday.
Sounds like a breach. You could tell them in advance that you'll come in to correct the mistaken missed payment (not to discuss or debate it, just to correct the mistake). Tell them also that you would like to discuss their data breach to see if it can be resolved informally. The manager sounds like they might react a bit impulsively if it is brought up a surprise (and I hate confrontation). I'd expect an apology AND for them to contact anyone they shared the data with to explain that (1) you just made a simple mistake (not an offence) and (2) they've apologised for the data breach. Even if they do this, you can then think about any formal complaint once the stress settles down.

You might want to speak to your supervisor and/or union about how you make sure there's no record of the allegation on your employer's records for the future.

Original poster
iamsodumb · 15/03/2021 10:26

Hi all,

I went to the shop this morning and the manager wouldn't come out of the office to speak to me. He had the sales assistant tell me that he was still waiting for a call back from head office about the incident but not to worry about it and that I was to pay for the items. I paid for the items and told the shop assistant that I felt it was ridiculous that it had even been escalated to head office considering how regular a customer I am and I took a copy of the receipt.

I'm going to complain to the company. I just wondered if anyone knows where I can find out for definite if a data breach has occured before I contact the company? It has been confirmed that they showed the footage to my employers.

OP posts:
Original poster
iamsodumb · 15/03/2021 10:30

A friend seems to think it would only be a data breach if it was shared online, is this correct?

OP posts:
trevthecat · 15/03/2021 10:30

He wouldn't come and speak to you?? I am so angry for you. What a pathetic man

Bluebird2021 · 15/03/2021 10:47

where i work .....large well known store....it would be a data protection breach. i'm a manager and have to jump through hoops just to get a copy to the police....let alone show to someone outside the company

Whatflavourjellybabyisnice · 15/03/2021 10:48

@trevthecat

He wouldn't come and speak to you?? I am so angry for you. What a pathetic man
My thoughts too.
Whatflavourjellybabyisnice · 15/03/2021 10:49

@Bluebird2021

where i work .....large well known store....it would be a data protection breach. i'm a manager and have to jump through hoops just to get a copy to the police....let alone show to someone outside the company
That's interesting.
Original poster
iamsodumb · 15/03/2021 10:51

@trevthecat

He wouldn't come and speak to you?? I am so angry for you. What a pathetic man
Tell me about it! The whole situation has been handled so shoddily.
OP posts:
Original poster
iamsodumb · 15/03/2021 10:52

@Bluebird2021

where i work .....large well known store....it would be a data protection breach. i'm a manager and have to jump through hoops just to get a copy to the police....let alone show to someone outside the company
That's great, thank you! Will try to find some legislation I can quote in my complaint.
OP posts:
Neversleepingever · 15/03/2021 10:58

I feel so angry for you, OP!

IstandwithJackieWeaver · 15/03/2021 11:00

I suspect he realises he has stuffed up showing others the CCTV footage and that's why he hid away. How ridiculous. Make sure you complain about this stupid charade of making you come back again then refusing to see or speak to you. The man's an arse.

Neversleepingever · 15/03/2021 11:00

My car once got hit in McDonald's car park. They wernt able to show me the CCTV so I could see the car that did it and said I'd need to get the police to have a look!

IstandwithJackieWeaver · 15/03/2021 11:01

I've been told the same before now about a supermarket car park - they'd only share the footage with the police or insurance investigator.

Okbussitout · 15/03/2021 11:04

@iamsodumb

Whoops just realised I have mentioned the shop name after trying to be discreet! Blush
I think we got it when you said big newsagent chain tbh! Grin
Marmunia11975 · 15/03/2021 11:24

This is awful!

SheldonesqueIsUnwell · 15/03/2021 11:26

Oh do complain - and loud.
Wee fanny hooked up on his power trip couldn’t knock up a pair o baws to see you?

Complain. Loud. Loud. Loud.

It might make him think twice about being charliebigbaws in the future.

I’m all against stealing but HE KNEW you didn’t do that as he would have just gone to the dibble. He couldn’t do that for a mistake/machine muck up.

Let him see what like it is for his big boss to call him in.

Nith · 15/03/2021 12:10

Irrespective of the data protection situation, I hope you do complain. This was an absolutely ridiculous way to deal with the situation. If he wasn't even going to come out of his room to see you, he could perfectly well have agreed to accepting your payment on Friday and saved you a weekend of worrying. As it is, he has pissed off a regular customer and, in your situation, I would be very tempted to spread the word so that other staff boycott the shop - not least for their own safety in case of further accusations.

Original poster
iamsodumb · 15/03/2021 12:18

I did think he was lying about "waiting for a call back from head office" because if that was the case, surely he would have still been unable to take my payment? I was thinking head office may have told him he was being ridiculous and he didn't come out to speak to me in an attempt to save face. Head office may have also informed him of the data breach, I suppose. I will definitely be complaining as they made me feel utterly embarrassed on Friday.

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 15/03/2021 12:20

He's a pathetic little individual using what little power he has to bolster his self-esteem.
Put in an EPIC complaint. EPIC.

Nith · 15/03/2021 12:22

I suspect you're absolutely spot on about Head Office's response, OP. I think if I were in their shoes I would be saying "FFS, why are you bothering us about this? You're the manager, do some managing, why are you wasting our time and your own?"

Tiktokersmiracle · 15/03/2021 12:35

I wouldn't just contact head office at Smith's, I would report a GDPR breach to the relevent independent body.
Smith's will try and cover it up, but they could be in line for quite the hefty fine. No doubt there would be a full investigation into whether this individual has done this before.

I still cannot fathom how he would try and cause you all this issue, and try to shame you with your boss, all over £3 and when they could have easily mentioned it to you next time. Well, he's a sexist pig.

I hope he is sacked. And fined. What an utter Bellend.

Floralnomad · 15/03/2021 12:41

I would go back and insist that he sees you , if he won’t see you then you can add that to your complaint , also point out that you had the stress of this all weekend when if it was just a case of taking your money they could have done that on Friday .

SunshineCake · 15/03/2021 12:46

You don't sound like you will let this go and I really hope you don't. He is a bully and a sexist one at that.

DavidsSchitt · 15/03/2021 12:47

He's not waiting for a call. He hopes you'll just go away. Don't do that, take it all the way like he tried to do!

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