I accidentally shoplifted - advice needed

[iamsodumb]

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.

I'd be tempted to insist on seeing him. He can't hide from you. Turn the tables.

@iamsodumb

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.

I think you are probably very right about head office. The manager wanted a power trip and is now cowering. I live with a narcissist mother, I know. They behave strangely but once you know their spiel, then it's somewhat obvious. Not logical, emotional. Lots of people do that.

What a weird approach. It does scream of jumped up Manager.

I did it in Tescos using Shop and Scan, evidently my tap didn't work properly and I didn't notice. The next time I went to pick up a handset it directed to me to Customer Services where they were quick to tell me it happens multiple times a day by complete accident and simply took my payment with no judgement.

Oh that’s really bad, he’s behaving so Unprofessionally and being a total dick. I’m not sure I’d complain. But then I can’t be arsed with hassle. He’s handled this so badly it’s mind boggling.

I would go back and insist to speak to him and inform him what you intend to do. Let him stew over how the company might react to his bully boy tactics.

@Tiktokersmiracle

A data breach like this is not going to get them any fine, let alone a hefty one. Fines and punishments are only issued for massive data breaches, usually on a large scale. They will barely even listen to a complaint like this. They certainly aren't going to fine Smith's for it.

If they have footage of you, surely they'd have footage of you with the CARD in your hand and of the swiping 'movement' of your hand? So could see that you made an attempt?

They should keep a record of it and, as I'm working on some data protection stuff at the moment, I think they have breached the OP's rights and should report the breach to the ICO. It's unlikely they'll be fined, but with it reported they might want to think about staff training on Data Protection.

Christ don't worry, loads of us have been there. The cameras will 100% show you attempting to pay at the self check out and it won't be the first time this would've happened. They're being pathetic if they try to escalate it further. Twice I've accidentally shoplifted... once on holiday abroad with 2yo DD I left a supermarket with a massive pack of nappies hanging off of the pushchair handle. The second time I laid a baby hat in the pushchair hood and walked out of TK Maxx with it having fell into the hood folds. It was ages until it popped out on a rainy day.. I was f'ing mortified. Keep us posted but everyone makes mistakes it's no biggy, you'll see the funny side once it's blown over.

@dementedpixie

So does it show you at the till but the payment hasn't gone through? That's slightly different to you just walking out with the item's.

Even if you had just walked out with the items , they should still cut you some slack. You're a regular customer and they should use some common sense. It's amazing the things people accidentally do when they're either rushed, tired, stressed or distracted.

The manager seems like a jobsworth twat this has gotten way out of hand

Mistakes happen we have all done similar things to this.

@GreyhoundG1rl

How exactly does the CCTV show you "not paying"?

Presumably if the CCTV shows her walking out without going to the till then it shows her not paying. I once paid by card in Asda and was walking away with the shopping and someone called me back because the sale had not gone through. It was clear that my attention had been to pay, it was no big deal. Hope it works out for you.

@trevthecat

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

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

Both of the above comments.

That's just bliddy bad mannered - how DARE he!

Please do complain - and as @Tiktokersmiracle suggests find the relevant independent body and complain to them. It might even be something that you could ask the police to look into - let him sweat collops for a few days.

Git!

Found this link with a code of practice for cctv from information commissioner's offuce. Section 5.2.2 is about disclosure. It's not just about releasing on the internet. Sharing with individuals is covered too.

ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection-1998/encryption/scenarios/cctv/

Agree it sounds like manager is hoping it will all just go away.

If the manager has accepted you payment it’s not likely that they could pursue a legal case against you as letting you pay would imply that they accepted your explanation. Any solicitor or half-decent Magistrate would make mincemeat of them.

I wonder if the shop is under new management, and this is a new manager who doesn't understand you are a regular, are genuine, and he is throwing being a manager around?

There's even a temple complaint letter that you can use.

ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/raising-concerns/

Just because the shop is in your workplace's building does not make data protection policies invalid.

Please pursue a complaint. Failing to follow data protection is not a trivial thing.

You can report the GDPR breach to the ICO.
ico.org.uk/for-organisations/report-a-breach/

It's a data breach under GDPR. By them showing the footage to your manager and accusing you of a crime, it could have had repercussions for you at work. They should have contacted you directly, or at the very most if they couldn't do that just contact your a manger and ask them to ask you to return to the shop - no details given. And certainly should not have showed footage of you to them.

You need to tell the shop that a data breach has occurred by them doing this which has affected your reputation with your employer.
They then have 72 hours to report this to the ICO (They have to report it). If they don't they will be fined for failure for reporting and the lovely manager will be in very deep trouble I imagine with his manager.

CCTV footage should not be shown to anyone other than those limited staff who have access to it (this should be restricted to only staff who have a need to access it) or to law enforcement in order to assist for example in identifying a crime.

It most definitely should not have been shown to someone's employer for the sole purpose of identifying them.

He may have just been really inexperienced. Was he from England? If not, it might have been a cultural thing.

An exbf did something similar to you. The police went round to his parents' (address was still on bank details probably) and left a message for him to go to the station. He was terrified about what it was about, and it turned out that he had gone to pay for diesel at a petrol station, seen some flowers for me and bought them and forgotten to pay for the petrol! It was an honest mistake, and charges weren't pressed, he just went and paid and apologised.

I don't think you meant to steal, but I don't get you don't know whether you forgot to scan the items or didn't scan your card. Those things are pretty fundamental to the self-scan transaction. It doesn't say 'thank you' or print your receipt until you've done these things.

I've seen too many people not pay at the self-scans to have much sympathy I'm afraid. It doesn't matter if it was £3 or £30, the principle is the same.

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.

Not really their problem.

I can't believe all of this drama for less than £3 which I have offered to pay!!

If they ignore every transaction like it would soon add up.

He may have just been really inexperienced. Was he from England? If not, it might have been a cultural thing.

This is so pathetic and damaging, the assumption that someone acting badly can't be English

You can also request the footage as it contains your image. They have to provide this to you.

I don't get you don't know whether you forgot to scan the items or didn't scan your card autopilot, tired, stressed for starters?!