WIBU to keep it??

[clpsmum]

Was in Boots yesterday at one of the quite expensive make up counters. Spent quite a bit of money on three products. Got home and discovered one of my dc (who has SN) had not only stolen a bottle of perfume he'd also completely destroyed the box it was in.

Just called the store to tell them and ask whether i should return the perfume or pay for it. they were awful to me. I really feel like keeping the bloody perfume now.

Keep it. Email customer svs and complain too

What did they say?

The box is destroyed so they won't be able to sell it

I'd keep it in this case - do you like it?

What did they say that was awful?

Was it in your bag? Didn't you notice the extra weight?

That's ridiculous of them to be rude to you! Most people would not have bothered ringing them.

What did they say?

Boots often are awful IME. Keep it.

Depends what they said really.

What did they say?

Lots of people wouldn't have even bothered calling the store op, they would have kept it. You have called therm to try and put the situation right.

What did they say?

I am unsure how the child stole the perfume and destroyed the box, all without his mother noticing . He could have swallowed the lot and been poisoned. Very odd thread.

Why would you expect to keep it???

I'd worry that the child could do this without being noticed, like willesden said.

I also don't think the amount you spent has any bearing on the situation.

I'd return it and apologise, and hope they didn't charge me. No need for them to be rude to you though.

I posted a thread a while back about accidentally shoplifting a purse (bought a rucksack, didn't check inside, somebody else had obviously put purse in and I didn't notice). I returned it to the shop, got a shrug. I probably could have kept it and nobody would have noticed, but that would have been stealing.

Err if its a toddler in a pushchair they could quite easily put it in the pushchair/sit on it and squash the box etc without a parent noticing, takes 30seconds. I am pretty sure for a child to open it (quite hard to unscrew) and if they were then sat drinking it the parent would notice.

But easy for a child to take something and break the cardboard packaging it comes in.

I phoned and asked to be put through to that specific counter. Lady came to phone and was explaining story and half way through she interrupted and said "I can't hear a word you're saying could you speak up?" Which I did and began story again. Then she questioned why I didn't pay (even though I'd just told her). So I explained It was very busy, I had a double buggy and a walking child with me.My buggy is one in front of the other so couldn't really notice that the one in front had picked up the perfume tbh. She said she would go and get the manager as the manager dealt with all thieves.

Manager comes on and I start explaining she says "yeah yeah my colleague told me the story" I apologised and asked what to do. She said I'd need to return the perfume and the box immediately. I said I couldn't make it until later in week but could pay for it if that was easier. She said NO it had to be returned at the very earliest opportunity. I again said this would be much later in the week is that ok? She said "we'll I suppose it'll have to be".

Just seemed to have a crap attitude and it annoyed me. It's a tiny bottle of perfume that bloody stinks. None of the staff at counter, boots staff, security, alarms, shopping centre security noticed yet they're being shitty with me because I didn't notice. Grrrrr

willesden what's odd, is that you think it's odd

I can totally see how that could easily happen.

I thought the perfumes were alarmed/kept in locked cabinets? Even the cheaper ones?

I bought a £9.99 perfume at Xmas as a stocking filler and the alarm went off when I left the store, due to the cashier not removing the little tag

Willesden - he's four and has autism not a small toddler. The perfume bottle was actually behind his back when he got out of buggy once home. About thirty mins after leaving shop I saw him holding something and thought it was a flyer (which he loves to pick up in shops) it was in fact the flattened box.

I have had this thing happen to the point that I now routinely frisk my toddler and the pushchair before I leave a shop!

I would make a complaint about their attitude and I wouldn't be returning the perfume. They could easily have asked you to return it so that they could use it as a tester, but their attitude was appalling.

She said she would go and get the manager as the manager dealt with all thieves

Really?

Are you sure she didn't say all 'theft'?

I would put it in the post obtain a proof of posting receipt and have done with it.

Put a letter in with a complaint about how you were spoken to and that as you were obviously attempting to pay or return the item you are clearly not a thief and you resent the implication that you are send it to there head office

This one obviously wasn't alarmed. Not kept behind the locked cabinet the particular counter has them on display. Think RRP is around £14.99 so not hugely expensive would've paid over the phone if they'd wanted me too but would rather return coz it stinks!!!

I think their attitude towards you was appalling. Most people probably wouldn't have even called them. I would email head office if I were you, explain the situation and complain.

Personally I would send them a cheque for the amount and attach a letter explaining what happened. I would also express regret that you were treated in such a shoddy way and explain that you were trying to do the right thing by offering to pay over the phone. I would send this recorded delivery to cover yourself. I would draw attention to the fact that the counter staff referred to you as a 'thief' and ask how many thieves phoned up the shop when they got home and offered to pay for the item that hadn't even been missed? they sound total shits tbh