Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Wrongfully accused of shoplifting!

266 replies

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 11:10

Thursday I visited a well known supermarket that I frequently visit. Did my shopping fine (without the aid of kids....lovely) went to leave the shop and the alarm barriers went off, backed up my trolley (thought it may have been the gentleman walking beside me who had triggered the alarm) and tried again, same thing happened. I got the attention of the lady working on the self service checkouts and showed her my receipt. I told her the probable cause of the alarm was the razor blades I had purchased. She checked my receipt and couldn't find razor blades on it. I had to dig through my bags to finally find the razor blades in the middle of one of my bags. Was a little annoyed at this point as the checkout girl had obviously not scanned correctly (to busy moaning to me about supermarket and how she has got a new job lined up). I was then taken to customer services and I paid for the razor blades after pointing out that maybe they should have words with the checkout girl to make sure she scans products correctly. I then left the shop. Got to my car, had to repack most of my shopping as most of it had been taken out of the bags in search of the razor blades, loaded my bags into the boot, put the trolley in the bay, got into my car and went to put my key into the ignition (all this had taken a fair amount of time). Just as I was about to start the car I had a tap on my window. I opened my car door to a woman dressed in black who then asked to see my receipt?!? I explained to her that all this was sorted out in the shop and I had paid for the razor blades. She then continued to tell me that was not the issue and it was the fact I had a lot of products in my shopping trolley not bagged up??? At this point I was getting very frustrated. I emptied the contents of my handbag only to find receipts not their then realised they must be in my shopping bags in the boot. I had to get the woman to move out of my way (she had came round the side of my car door as if to block me in) to exit the car. When I got to the boot of my car I was astonished to see the manager behind my car and 4 other employees a little further up blocking the car park??? 6 people in total!!!! I'm a 5ft woman in her 20's!!!! At this point I was absolutely furious, shaking and on the verge of tears. I managed to find the receipts and got the woman to look in my car although after all that she wasn't bothered in checking all my bags and just simply said "I can see its all there" (how when its all packed I do not know) I then asked the woman and the manager for an apology. She begrudgingly apologised but the manager point blank refused saying " I don't have to apologise if I suspect a thieve" they then left me. Luckily there was someone who witnessed all this that knows me from sight from my daughters pre school so she calmed me down enough so I could drive home (although I do not remember actually driving home). Luckily my husband was at home that day and as soon as I got home I had a full blown panic attack. My husband calmed me down, got a friend to sit with me, and took all my shopping back and demanded a refund, he eventually got it. He asked to speak to the manager 3 times and each time he refused to come speak to my husband. On the 4th attempt he got the employee to relay on the phone that he was not willing to come and apologise as in his eyes I was still a thief? I have written a letter of complaint and am still awaiting I response.

OP posts:
girlinacoma · 14/06/2016 12:34

peridot

High value items such as razor blades are not necessarily always kept in a security box but will have a metallic sticker on the packaging that will trigger the alarm unless the checkout operator has passed it over that flat grey thing at the till which deactivates it (you can tell I don't work in retail due to my lack of technical knowledge :D )

So it's entirely possible for the razor blades to trigger the alarm if the packaging hasn't been deactivated at the till.

Our local Tesco have the same metallic sticker on packs of chicken

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 14/06/2016 12:35

ChazsBrilliantAttitude that is the thing I never attempted to leave the shop. the shop has 2 sets of double doors and I only got to the first set of doors and it was me who got the attention of staff at no point did I attempt to the store with items I hadn't paid for

In the shop's view you did attempt to leave with unpaid items as the only thing that stopped you was the alarm going off at the doors. The key distinction is that you didn't attempt to dishonestly leave the store with the items because you genuinely believed they had been paid for.

The difficulty is that you knew you were honest and supermarket staff assumed you were dishonest. In their view because you had attempted to take something unpaid out of the shop then you were a possible shoplifter. That doesn't mean I think they handled the situation well but that they weren't targeting you randomly when you went out i.e. if you had one unpaid item, did you have more.

TheWordOfBagheera · 14/06/2016 12:35

YourWheezy that's horrible; I'd struggle to get over that too.

PrivatePike · 14/06/2016 12:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

travellinghopefully12 · 14/06/2016 12:36

OP - can you ask for footage of the CCTV? Say you need it for legal reasons and failure to comply can count against them.

This should scare them into apologising even if you don't get it. If you do then get someone to look through it and you have proof with which to sur the supermarket.

MeMySonAndl · 14/06/2016 12:38

As far as I'm aware, stores are allowed to hold you for a bit if they have a good cause to suspect you stole something, but considering you do not pose a threat, there was no need to humiliate you in that way.

They checked twice before letting you go and after being proven wrong the bully manager is telling your husband that in his eyes is still a thief?

That is in my opinion what you should complain about, the excessive use of force and intimidation to check you and the offensive tone used when your DH tried to talk to them.

Name and shame!

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 12:38

peridotisinvalid I said it was the razor blades as that was the only thing that I had that would have had some sort of tag on it. they have electronic strips on that need to be moved over the till to deactivate them if that makes sense. I have had this in this particular store before where they haven't deactivated something correctly and have looked at me receipt and seen I had paid for the item so I assumed it had happened again? does this make sense?

OP posts:
MeMySonAndl · 14/06/2016 12:39

Forget about mentioning CCTV, bully manager can make it disappear as soon as you mention legal action so, if you are going to sue them, keep your cards close to your chest until the time comes.

Farandole · 14/06/2016 12:39

I'm a litigator. My advice would be for you to write a strongly worded letter of complaint to head office customer relations department, emphasising the manager's refusal to apologise and the fact he reiterated that in his eyes you are a thief, even though he had absolutely no ground to say that. Point out that this statement was deeply insulting and offensive. Mention that you have been a regular customer for X years but you now find yourself put off.

I would stay away from any mention of false imprisonment, as I think that's pretty hopeless. I also wouldn't mention panic attack, losing sleep or being unable to do the shopping because of this. These are consequential/too remote and make you sound grabby.

I would suggest in your letter that you think appropriate compensation would be the price of your shopping that day (whatever that was).

If that doesn't work, my advice would be to drop it and move on. Life is too short to get so wound up over little things. You know you're not a thief, no one that matters to you thinks any less of you, so don't spend so much energy on this. Certainly don't go to a solicitor with this.

dustarr73 · 14/06/2016 12:42

Op probably thought straight away it was the razors as its probably teh only high price item she bought.

I used to work in Tesco [for my sins]They can only stop you outside the shop.Plus i thought you had to have the police there if they wanted to search you.

If you have a witness i would go as far as possible.Hate wanker Managers..

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 14/06/2016 12:43

Did you pay card or cash??

allegretto · 14/06/2016 12:44

The manager is an idiot. Either he still believes you are a thief and he calls the police or he realises you are not and apologises PROFUSELY. His attitude is appalling and i would definitely take this higher up.

SpaceUnicorn · 14/06/2016 12:45

I've just searched the username of the OP, this seems to be her only thread

Yes, she appears to have just joined this morning.

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 12:47

thank you so much Farandole your advise has been much appreciated. and YourWheezy how awful no one should have to go through something like this, I feel so sorry that that happened to u xxx

OP posts:
NavyAndWhite · 14/06/2016 12:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OliviaStabler · 14/06/2016 12:48

Unfortunately there are so many ruses to steal from shops, and thefts happen so frequently, some staff members start to believe everyone who says 'did not know an item was not scanned' etc is guilty. Items like razor blades and batteries are prime shoplifting targets.

Write a letter to head office and then never shop there again.

Sax88 · 14/06/2016 12:49

A similar thing happened to me recently. I didn't have my son with me for a change so was taking my time. Last aisle in our store is make up and I fancied a new mascara. I looked for a while. Found one I settled on. Used the self scan handset. Put it directly in my handbag as the previous week a tube of foundation had fallen through the bars of the trolley on the way out and luckily another mum saw and chased me to my car with it. Went to the self checkout. Spoke to the assistant who is always there on my shopping day for a good 3 minutes. Went to leave and the security guard put his hand in front of my face as I was leaving and said 'did you buy a lipstick or something?'. I said 'no I bought a mascara... why?' 'May I see the receipt madam...' so I got my purse and the mascara from my bag. Got my receipt and handed it to him and said it will be the last item on the list. It wasn't there... I looked at the mascara and could see the barcode label was slightly folded. It clearly didn't scan but I didn't notice. He then took all my details down in a black book at the front of the store. People were staring. Mortifying. I had to pay at customer services and get oh my way. Never been so embarrassed and still have to use the store. Now I check every item has scanned several times before packing it up. I detest shoplifting. I has spent over £120! I don't think a £4 tube of mascara would be a problem...

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 12:50

yes I joined this morning as I see a few similar posts on her and thought some were very helpful and I'm finding it therapeutic talking about this

OP posts:
SilverBirchWithout · 14/06/2016 12:52

It does sound like they had other suspicions about you beyond the razor blades.

But I guess this is the price we pay for not go having free bags anymore. They saw unbagged items in your trolley when you went back to pay for the blades and assumed you were scamming in some way. It's odd they didn't check more when you were in the store or even when they were at the boot of the car.

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 14/06/2016 12:52

Op how did you pay for your shopping?? Cash or card?

BeautyQueenFromMars · 14/06/2016 12:53

NavyandWhite, the OP has said that the packet of razor blades had an electronic strip on it that needs to be scanned:

user1465893706 Tue 14-Jun-16 12:38:53
peridotisinvalid I said it was the razor blades as that was the only thing that I had that would have had some sort of tag on it. they have electronic strips on that need to be moved over the till to deactivate them if that makes sense. I have had this in this particular store before where they haven't deactivated something correctly and have looked at me receipt and seen I had paid for the item so I assumed it had happened again? does this make sense?

NavyAndWhite · 14/06/2016 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

justkeeponsmiling · 14/06/2016 12:55

Very odd.

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 12:55

NavyAnd White I answered that question a little further up x

OP posts:
LordoftheTits · 14/06/2016 12:55

Why did you think it was the razor blades if they weren't in a box?

Why are so many people questioning this? Every single pack of razors - either blades or disposable - at my local Tesco have one of those grey security tags on them that you must remove with a magnet at the till. If I had only bought groceries (i.e. no clothes) plus the razors and the door alarm went off, I would assume razors too.

Swipe left for the next trending thread