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!

Sounds like we're both getting instructions from football match watching partners with a security based employment background

ok here are the rules for a stop and search

You must ask the person to stop as in " excuse me, would you mind stepping back into the store for a minute"

You have to have seen that person actually stealing something or another person that is with you has seen them stealing something, not a member of the public. Or an alarm goes off.

You then ask them if the would mind you checking there bags. If its a personal bag or hand bag. men search men/woman search woman.

You cant put your hands in their bags, you can ask them to turn them out. But if this was a hand bag it would be done somewhere private not at the door.

And reasonable force will be used if the person attempts to run.

That be the rules.:)

So report them to the store, these people generally work by themselves and only have basic training so need to learn.

Write to their Head Office and complain, however you will have to enclose signed authorisation from your mother to say she agrees for you to act on her behalf, or they won't talk to you about it!

As far as I'm aware the SG has to see her select, conceal and leave the store with an item before he can stop her and ask to see her bags. So you have points that need answering.

She should also be taken 'backstage' before any kind of search is done, and it shouldn't be done within eyesight of other customers.

I work in customer services and deal with these complaints everyday, if this is investigated and she was wrongfully searched and stopped, you can expect to get a reasonable gesture of goodwill and an apology.

Don't back down and make sure you have it all in writing.

Can I ask the two very informative posters above about the alarm going off?

As I indicated above, we have a busy supermarket where I live where the alrm at the exit is a constant klaxon. It goes off because tags are not properly deactivated at the till.

What are the rules on this? It's horrible to have the SGs go through your bags at the exit, in public, because the store's system is crap.

Obviously no-one could possibly have seen a theft because none has occurred.

LineRunner

I have a shopping trolley, which seems to set off store alarm systems. No-one ever bats an eyelid.

You have not stolen anything until you leave the shop. You are perfectly at liberty to put things into your handbag (as long as you take them all out and pay for them before leaving the shop).

Although, if you are observed doing this it would be reasonable for the security guard to ask to search your bag upon you leaving the shop. Their obligton is to take you somewhere private to do this, and to call the police if you refuse. Most big stores have a kind of Guantanamo cell security holding area to do this in.