To be concerned about how DC was treated by store security?

[MothershipG]

DD was stopped by store security in the mistaken but reasonable belief that she had taken something. They asked her friend to wait outside the store and 2 male security officers took DD, who is 13, to a private room where they asked her to empty her bags.

They behaved perfectly politely and respectfully at all times and when she was able to demonstrate that she hadn't taken anything, they apologised and sent her on her way.

Of course I have no problem with that but AIBU to think that it is not acceptable for 2 adult males to take a juvenile into a private room? I cannot emphasise enough that in this instance they behaved perfectly properly, but surely that is a set up massively open to abuse? Adults in a position of power with potentially vulnerable young people in a private room. And of course the converse situation of troubled youngsters seeing a way to get out of a shop lifting charge by making allegations.

Does anyone know what best practice is/should be in this short of situation?

Not acceptable at all. They need to review their procedures.

Missfit is there a point to your comments?

There was probably CCTV in the room where she was taken. However, I think it would be reasonable for you to mention to the store or shopping centre that they consider changing their policy.

I investigate these types of incidents for a major retailer.

If the guards haven't seen her select, conceal and leave with the items they shouldn't have stopped her and definately shouldn't have taken her to a holding room.

When they did they should have had a female with them and a manager. I also think you should have been called to.

I'd be contacting the store manager or head office and ask for them to investigate why she was stopped.

I pick things up and change my mind and put them back. Doesn't mean I've stolen them.

Which shop was it?

I would mention it for the security guards own protection too tbh. Easy for an allegation to be made by a person angry to have been caught(i know your dd hadn't) .

My Mum made a valid point that the police wouldn't interview a female child with two males and no appropriate adult. They are leaving themself wide open.

ilove Thank you for taking the time to reply. I really don't have a problem with them stopping her, only with the female child in private room with 2 male security guards part.

Is Primark head office the best place to be flagging this too? Are there actually any regulations surrounding these kind of child protection issues?

They should not have even removed her from the shop floor, they did not see her conceal the item.

Should have been a female in the room with them, they should have gone and found one specially for this.

There should have been a responsible adult, female.
Two men should definitely not have taken a 13 year old girl somewhere private. CCTV is no protection - it might not be there, it might not work, sections can mysteriously disappear.

Something similar happened to me in a department store when I was a similar age. I was stopped by security outside the shop and told I had stolen something - I hadn't, and told them I would show them where I had put it so they marched me through the store looking like a criminal - the security guards were just men and they marched me off without my friends, so I imagine I would have been searched in the same way.

Luckily it was still in the shelf where I had put it back so I didn't need to be searched. But I was furious and humiliated, the feeling still hasn't left me today when I think about it! (Not that I stew it over, just when I think about it!). My dad complained and I got a written apology. I think sometimes they assume the worst of teenagers!

I think it's reasonable of you to be concerned and I would contact the store with my concerns.

I'd be calling the police. They have falsely imprisoned your dd; they have separated her and her friend; they have assaulted them; it was all done without their consent (they are minors - were they told they didn't have to do as they were told - and could have said no - are they aware of the law and their rights?); were suitable adults called; were the police called?

Call the police and have all the involved members off staff arrested and questioned.

Every guideline i have found online says two people must be present and one must be the same sex as the person detained. I would highly suspect a responsible adult must be called too.

I would contact them and make it clear that your issue is not with your child being questioned.

I have spoken to the store, there was no cctv in the room

So glad the situation was handled appropriately, but have to say I'm very surprised about the lack of CCTV; I'd have thought it was essential, if only to protect the staff against the all-too-frequent cries of "paedo"

My Mum actually suggested calling the police for advice too and shes very sensible. Its hardly unlikely there was not a female member of staff present who could have supervised and a child would not know their legal rights hence appropriate adult.

One of mine has ASD and would have freaked out if taken in a room by two men and would have been vulnerable.

DS teaches security guarding for the SIA licence. Best practice dictates that a female must be present. I think you should write to the management of the store, and also, if they work for a company which has a contract for the store (which is likely) write to the security company. In other situations (youth groups, churches etc) it is unacceptable for two males to take a female, especially one so young, into a private room.
They will probably say they had no female staff on duty, but if that was the case they should have got a female member of the shop staff to accompany them.
They should always be looking to improve their practise, and so should take your comments seriously.

Take it up with head office.
Their policy needs to be changed, or maybe the local store isn't obeying company policy.

Security guards should always call a female staff member to be present before taking a female suspect to another room to be searched.
Male police officers would probably only search a female in a real emergency.

A young girl, or many women, could feel frightened about being in an enclosed space with strange men. This may be because of previous abuse or for cultural reasons.
They could also be embarassed about emptying bags with spare sanpro.

A security guard has no more legal powers than any member of the public

So, think of how you would advise male family members to safely treat a woman or girl suspected of theft.

I think it would be better to have had a female with them while they talked to your DD but i don't think it's that bad. I'd write to the shops HQ but more as a comment/suggestion rather than a complaint. Iyswim

I really can't see that the current arrangement is a likely set up for 'massive abuse'. I can see it might feel intimidating to an adolescent but that's about it.

It absolutely is cause for complaint. It is not acceptable for a woman to be put in that position, and it's even worse for a young woman. And as they did not observe her concealing an item they were not within their rights to detain her, either.

I'm so pleased that these two security guards are preventing such large scale theft...a 99p set of false nails! Any professional theives will surely have emptied the place whilst these two were causing upset to your daughter.

Yabu

Two adults and one child isn't ideal but it far better than one adult alone with a child. They're not doing anything physical, there's no reason to insist on a female present. I would also be surprised if there isn't cctv in the room.

Would you feel the same if it was a 13 year old boy and two women? I'm guessing not. Stop seeing all men as potential paedophiles.

I think you will find I suggested that someone of the same gender be present...

ThAt means male or female.

I would complain to head office. Store security guards have no legal rights to do this.