Tesco searching my 12 year olds bag!

[mumwithovertime]

just a quick question,my daughter got stopped leaving tesco after school with her large school bag and blazer over arm,the lady searched her bag and her blazer and finding nothing let her leave,problem I have is assuming that she is allowed to search a 12 year old surely as my daughter was completely innocent the least she deserved was an apology!it's the least I would expect if they did the same to me.

Hate Tesco.

Any person can detain for a theft provided they have reasonable grounds to suspect..So if security guard say has witnessed a theft he can detain. So could a member of the public.

He can ask someone to show their bag. (Eg when the alarms go off sometimes they ask to see in your bag. Most people just instinctively show the bag). If the customer refuses the guard has no further powers in relation to that person unless he has reasonable grounds to suspect a theft and a hunch or carrying a blazer a certain way is not reasonable grounds.

What would guard have done if your daughter had said no? He probably knew she wouldn't by virtue of her age.

Tyra why did you resurrect a thread that hadn't been posted on for over 3 years?

This is so weird!

This happened to me once in Accessorise a couple of years ago. It was a real shock to be honest.

THIS THREAD IS 3 YEARS OLD !

Tyra why are you complaining about being busted? I am surprised the Polis weren't called as you were found to have unpaid goods.

Tyra was complaining that the store detective was wearing a leather jacket and was young so of course she naturally thought he was a criminal and so was scared of him.

So scared that she stole from the store.

I mean this very caringly, but tbh, I think this, from Tyra's posts is bloody hilarious! :-

"I certainly think that this is not the way to do your job!!you don't have people following you all around and scare you... Be intrusive!!! Understand the fact that he is a detective but he could be in shirt and tie not dressed in leather jacket... Description fit for a criminal.
Do the job more discreetly and not follow to the car park and say I have not paid for something!!!!

I have been humiliated...

Regards,
Tyra"

Tyranny - your full name and email address are in that post

Tyra not tyranny

Incidentally, the email to Tesco Head Office began "Dear Terry" Who's Terry?

You can say no to a bag search. If your daughter felt intimidated into doing so then you need to take this further.

If they want to search you then they need to call the police.

I'd be livid if someone without authority searched my child's bag.

Presume Terry Leahy but he retired yonks ago. Sensible fellow.

The alarm at the doors of our local Sainsbury's often sounds when someone goes through but no one goes to check what's going on. There used to be security men in uniforms sanding there but they seem to have disappeared along with the introduction of self service tills.

KingJoffreys the OP was posted July 2011.

Something isn't right here. The Tyra post is just soooooo weird, and why resurrect such an old thread? If you have a problem and questions three years on then surely you would start a new thread?

Oh, and "Dear Terry"?? Sir Terry Leahy retired from Tesco two or three years ago and was succeeded by Philip Clark. From that point on Tesco proceeded downhill to the position it finds itself in today.

Oh, and please don't encourage Tesco or any others to get rid of the scan-as-you-shop system. It is a godsend to those of us on a tight budget who find it invaluable seeing our running total as we progress around the store. Of course it isn't totally foolproof. Neither are the other self-service tills or manned checkouts to determined shoplifters.

Scan-as-you-shop is so much quicker and more convenient all round in my experience. You scan, you pack it into bags, you pay and then you go, bags already pre-packed and ready to just transfer to the car.

My local Tesco was HEAVING with security guards today. Presumably HQ has has been on the blower warning them about crazy fish thieves doing the rounds.

Tyra, the First Commandment for Letters of Complaint is "thou shall be succinct."

Dear Tesco
Thanks for having such efficient security guards. Today whilst in your store I found one watching me, and after a period of time I was delighted to be found owing your store £3.35 of delicious fish! If your young member of staff had not been performing his job properly I would have got home and had several hours of angst about whether to return and pay or not and started a pointless MN thread about whether to go back. Happily I was instead able to raise a totally unrelated zombie thread
Fortunately this slip of the mind was pointed out and I was let on my way by the decent staff member.
Outstanding service!
Yours,
Bonkers of Amersham