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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:
user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 12:57

thank u

OP posts:
geoff409 · 14/06/2016 12:57

Go straight to the CEO at head office in writing. If you look hard enough you may even get their own email address if you search google. I did it with my local Tesco who quite frankly have some of the worst customer services I have ever known. I also did this with a certain digital tv subscriber who have notoriously bad customer service and the problem was sorted. I notice from the post that the manager was big enough to follow you into the car park when you're by yourself, but when your husband showed up he couldn't face him - shows the calibre of some people I'm afraid.

Mycraneisfixed · 14/06/2016 13:08

Please name and shame specific supermarket and which branch.

FasterThanASnakeAndAMongoose · 14/06/2016 13:24

Please name and shame!

readytorage · 14/06/2016 13:26

What shop was it? Name them on here and go to town on the min social media

SpaceUnicorn · 14/06/2016 13:27

Please name and shame specific supermarket and which branch

I don't think that will happen, unfortunately

MyCatWasRightAboutYou · 14/06/2016 13:35

Oh, that sounds awful. :( I'm sorry you had that experience. Flowers

A little while ago I bought some earphones from a supermarket. I didn't realise they still had the security tag on, so they beeped when going through the alarms at the exit. A woman who was a manager of some sorts took my bag, and about 4 other employees stood watching. I had accidentally left my receipt in the self-checkout machine, so I had to go over with them watching and retrieve it. Gave it to the woman with my shopping so she could verify the earphones were on there. She handed back my shopping with "ooh, you were lucky". Confused
Even though I'd done nothing wrong, I still felt horribly anxious and embarrassed.

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 13:37

I am giving the supermarket fair time to adequately respond to be first before naming and shaming

OP posts:
srslylikeomg · 14/06/2016 13:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sonders · 14/06/2016 13:40

I second everyone saying use social media to make them pay attention. I used to manage accounts for some massive retail brands - as a tip though, Facebook is much easier for their social media manager to escalate.

On Twitter, posts are much less visible to other customers but on Facebook they are viewable to everyone - including brand managers and customer service managers who panic at the sight of a massive justified complaint like yours.

Post frequently and in different places, e.g. on their wall, but also comment on their posts. They've probably just spent thousands on some w*&nky social media agency to create the posts and don't want them 'ruined' by customers!

BabyGanoush · 14/06/2016 13:46

something weird happened, this thread was closed down for a bit and MNHQ said it was a PBP, then it appeared again.

Anyone else had this? Weird!

user1465893706 · 14/06/2016 13:47

Sonders do u think I should go to social media about this now or do u think I should wait a little longer? I have had an email back saying that basically my email will be sent to the store manager to deal with as they cant do anything as they weren't there?

OP posts:
StrangeLookingParasite · 14/06/2016 13:47

srslylikeomg I don't think it's for you to say. Maybe you're bulletproof when faced with a confrontation like this. I'm not, and it looks like neither is the OP.

NavyAndWhite · 14/06/2016 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpaceUnicorn · 14/06/2016 13:49

something weird happened, this thread was closed down for a bit and MNHQ said it was a PBP, then it appeared again

How odd Confused

PHeadPH · 14/06/2016 13:49

I think you have overreacted massively. It's not nice when they need to double check your receipt but it's not something to get so upset about either and the woman who asked for your receipt did apologise.

I KNOW it's not nice and I'm not saying it wouldn't bother me because it would but I don't understand the over-the-top drama. I'm happy for my shopping to be checked as I can't stand the thought of shoplifters getting away with theiving.

If you had dealt with it calmly without getting into a massive tizz then you would still be in exactly the same situation as you are now but without all the upset.

MoltoIncazzata · 14/06/2016 13:50

So much oddness on one thread. It is indeed odd.

AgentProvocateur · 14/06/2016 13:53

Don't name and shame. The shop haven't done anything wrong. You say the check-out girl missed the blades, the shop say you stole them. There's no proof either way. And whoever suggested asking the shop for the cctv has no knowledge of how these things work. It was upsetting, but put it behind you and move on. You risk making this a much bigger thing in your head than it needs to be.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 14/06/2016 13:54

I'm confused. You used the self service checkout and yet your shopping was scanned by a checkout girl?

Regardless you need to get some perspective. You're blowing this out of all proportion unless you have some deep anxiety issues in which case you need to see your GP.

blindsider · 14/06/2016 13:57

OP if the cashier failed to scan the razor blades they will have it on CCTV as they film the checkouts in minute detail to help prevent Staff nicking cash.

Apparently batteries and razors are the most frequently stolen produce....

nobilityobliges · 14/06/2016 14:00

I'm a bit bemused by the fuss over this. You walked out with something not paid for, due to an honest mistake on the part of the check-out assistant and they wanted to see your receipt to make sure you weren't trying it on. You weren't and they accepted that. What's the problem?

NavyAndWhite · 14/06/2016 14:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sonders · 14/06/2016 14:01

OP I'd start now, just let them know that you have emailed too (including a reference if they gave one) - the software they have behind all this is incredibly stalky so they've probably already linked your complaint to your transaction, and maybe even the CCTV footage too! You don't have to mean or negative about it - just be very clear about what happened and what you'd like in return. If they start to private message you, be nice to whomever you're speaking too. Anything public (wall & comments) can be more matter of fact.

That way you have the social media manager rooting for your cause, and the brand manager can see everything publicly so will want to minimise damage.

PHeadPH · 14/06/2016 14:01

Thread title =. Wronfully accused of shoplifting!

....you weren't at any point accused of shoplifting. The store asked to see your receipt and your purchases.

NavyAndWhite · 14/06/2016 14:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.