Towards Security Guard Who Accused My Mother Of Shoplifting?

[DeeRanged]

My Mum was in a well known store earlier today (in fact it featured in last August's riots! with it's now infamous Wall of Peace) as she was leaving the security guard said "show me your bag". He insisted and insisted that she open her bag. Initially my Mum did not back down but eventually opened her bag to show it contained nothing from the store. She said he was very rude and behaved in a threatening manner towards her.

I am curious to know what may be considered reasonable grounds to approach customers in this way....suspicion is not enough surely they must SEE something??

Yes shoplifters come in all shapes, sizes and ages but I am livid that someone should treat my Mum in this way, a lady who is 70+ and has NEVER shoplifted in her life, and always makes sure she has receipts for her purchases...especially now!

There is no need for rudeness and he had no right to search her bag. She could have insisted that he call the police if he wanted to do that.

There's no excuse for rude, or intimidating behaviour. If he was like that then I feel sorry for your mum. It's not nice to be accused of something you haven't done, in any case.

I don't know what the law says.

I sort of think it's fair enough for them to approach whoever they like, AS LONG as they're polite.

I think you should have reported him if he was rude and threatening

Have you complained to the store? I would.

Well maybe she turned in a strange way, or touched a rail then touched her bag just so security couldn't quite see

I think they should be allowed to ask to check the bag if they are suspicious. Otherwise what would be the point of them. Thy can't see everything and shoplifters often are not going to steal in plain sight of them are they.

Really Kayano? You think any old person should be allowed to search your bag? Because anyone can work as a security guard, you know. I think it's absolutely right that they can only do so with your consent, unless they involve the police.

But, why wouldnt you consent if you had nowt to hide. I would certainly let a security guard search my bag, if only to save the time I would otherwise have to wait for the police to arrive

No one is above suspicion

I might get belligerent if someone was rude and aggressive to me, and demand to see the police

Sorry ^ that was in reply to beejeezus

Well, they are security guards for the store so if they suspect something, just show them the bag and the receipt.

Yeah I might too

(and then regret wasting my own time, pretty sharpish)

And many stores now have some type of policy about checking bags from other stores or you can't bring other stores' bags into another store.

Completely agree security should be able to approach anyone but WITH GOOD REASON and their tone and body language should not be threatening!

Had he adopted the same approach and attitude towards me I would have insisted he call the police, and I'm really not in the habit of wasting police time but secuity guards should treat people appropriately. Was my mum aggressive? No. Was she threatening? No.

The irony of today is that I was in another shop and saw a security stop a guy leaving the store...he too said show me your bag? The shopper was compliant but I felt the guards tone and approach completely wrong.

My Mum went back into the store to see the manager, as this exchange took place immediately outside the door, the manager was nowhere to be found. My Mum said the guard seemed uneasy about this and told him she would return tomorrow to complain about his attitude and behaviour towards her.

I would let a security guard search my shopping bag (i.e. carrier bag) without a second thought - but my handbag? Bugger off. Call the police if you want to rifle through my personals. If he wanted your DMum to open her handbag, YANBU.

I would want to be taken to a more discreet location for any search rather than have bags searched in full view of nosy passers-by.

I would insist upon this and ask for the police if this was refused.

I'd then follow up the issue with a request for re-training of said store employee and full written apology. The trauma of false accusations should not be under estimated. i have a relative who will not go near make up counters ever again so frightened is she of being falsely accused again and humiliated in front of friends and other shoppers by a belligerent employee.

It's embarrassing, though. We have a real issue with a major supermarket near me, where the till set-up for 'cancelling' the electronic alarm tags on items such as batteries, wine boxes and razors often fails. The alarms at the exit goes off constantly. It's Klaxon City.

I wrote to Head Office having a whinge, and it confirmed that the security staff only have the right ask politely to look in your bag, and that the customer can say, 'No.'

Weird but true.

There is an acronym called SCONE which should be followed.

Selection - they need to see the person select the item(s)
Conceal - observe them conceal it
Observation - observe them to whole time from selection to when they leave
Non payment - witness this
Exit - observe them leave the store (or attempt to)

At that point they can ask the person to show them in a bag but if they refuse, they have to call the police.

I'm the kind of person who would get very difficult and awkward for the security guard if I was dealt with rudely. Rudeness is something I cannot tolerate.
A polite security guard just doing his/her job, no problem. But if you accuse me and speak to me in a rude and abrasive manner, then you will regret it.

What is the actual legal side of this? Is it true only the police can search your bags?

Exactly, ChocHob - taking a punt on a funny turn or there-goes-the-alarm-again is just lazy and rude.

In hindsight, your mother shouldn't have shown him the bag, because he would have had to detained her and called the police. If they didn't have good cause to suspect her, ie. CCTV or a record of the observation, it is classed as false arrest.

agréé that's hilarious. How precious

Sorry, in addition, completely understand why someone put on the spot and innocent would just want to prove themselves innocent and open the bag. She should complain to the store manager now. She's likely to get some sort of compensation.

Petrean yes as far as I'm aware you can refuse to let anyone search your bag apart from Police. In fact the Police have to have a legitimate reason unless its under Terrorism legislation (but lets not step on that minefield).

A security guard can also not detain you by putting a hand on you inside a store. Its the same as if a member of the public put a hand on you ie assault, you can be followed outside and the security guard can use "reasonable force" to detain you if they have seen you put something in your bag as in a citizens arrest but you can't be physically detained against your will in a store.

Why would it be assault wigglesrock? I understand if they try to detain someone inside the store for stolen goods, it's pretty pointless, because they haven't actually stolen anything unless they leave the store. But if laying a finger on someone inside a store would be assault, surely that would mean if someone kicks off in a store, then the security guard couldn't escort them outside ... which they can do.

I'm paraphrasing ChocHobNob apparently there's a football match on and I'm getting evils

But here goes : all shops are private property, so if a fight would start the security guard can "ask" those involved to leave/bar them - if they refuse they can be escorted out with reasonable force. The person put out can make a complaint but it wouldn't be upheld as their behaviour had initially resulted in them being asked to leave from private property.