Being stalked at work

[WorkProblemNamechange]

I work in a department store and early last year, a customer would come in regularly and follow me around. They said they knew me but I have zero recollection of them. They mentioned a family name too. I told management and security and they told them to back off. Things died down until recently when the person has returned to store. They have returned with another person and the two of them are now following me around. I was unable to tell security yesterday as they were absent.

Im back in work today and anticipating them returning. What can I do? The store is large and security is often by main door which means I go down 2 flights of stairs to alert them. By which time they may have disappeared. It was luck they caught them the first time.

I am extremely uncomfortable with the situation. Could this be a police matter?

Have you told your manager and colleagues?

Don’t you have any other way of contacting security? Radio, panic button?
At least alert them when you arrive, and as many other colleagues as possible I would have thought

Yes, I only work with a small number of colleagues in my dept. They all know and manager too.

Did you post this a while ago when it first happened as it sounds familiar?

Unfortunately, only way Is to go to them.

No, this is the first post.

When I worked in a department store years ago this kind of thing occasionally happened and was taken very seriously. We didn't wear surnames on our badges for safety reasons.

You could phone Loss Prevention/Security from the shop floor and someone would arrive promptly to deal with it. Usually the person would be banned from the store at the very least.

If they aren't doing anything about it then I'd say yes, harassment is a police matter.

Does your store have cctv? Seems likely, in which case you should be able to demonstrate the reason for your concern.

Lodge a written concern with your line manager and security. Request that they check the cctv footage. Ask how them mean to perform their duty of care.

Have you ever seen these people when you leave work? Do they follow you home? Have you seen them following you at the weekends? If so, I'd involve the police too.

Have you asked them why they are following you around?
They say they know you...can they tell you how?
Perhaps turn the tables and if you see them again, ask a colleague to come with you and follow them around the store.
They probably know it upsets you so are doing it deliberately...no idea why though, but people are strange.

This is bad advice. Don’t engage with them or attempt to retaliate.

Your manager needs to ban this person from the store just as he/she would ban a repeat shoplifter and you need to speak to the police.

A few things.

mix up your routine / commute to and from work.

Reflag to management the risk and request you are not alone on the floor so you have a witness to any events and ideally work in the back.

Ideally tak to security and ask next time it happens thst they request to see some ID so you know who it is / have name and ban them from the store.

Havin the name will let you give more information when you phone 101 to log these instances with the police. (If not already start recording dates and times). You should report this even if you cant grt a name

Unfortunately, You are right to take this seriously..

The Susy Lamplugh Trust are worth contacting for advice, as well as Mnet. www.suzylamplugh.org/

The only way to alert security is to walk down two flights of stairs? That itself is a massive security risk. I think you should make a written ?complaint? or something. Even without a stalker that should not be happening.

Yes, the security issue isn’t ideal. I travel by public transport so can’t switch my routine much. I have just spoken to management again and co workers are aware.

There was a famous case of stalking in 2005 where a young woman was stalked at work in Harvey Nichols. It ended tragically - not saying this to frighten you, because the situation doesn’t sound as if it is the same, but it gives a reference point to underline the seriousness when you talk to the police about it.

Why can’t they be banned from the store?