Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

accidentally walked out of food shop with items

82 replies

charlotte300 · 20/07/2016 16:48

Hi everyone

Has anyone every walked out with items in bag and not paid. The essential oil item was falling through the basket so I put it in my jute bag, continued to get vegetables etc. paid for them forgot the oil.

I did and security stopped me took me to a room asked for address, DOB took my picture said I had a life time ban - but if I write to them they will reconsider ?? 2 other security guys turned up took my picture (not police) I paid for this on the way out.

I am been feeling ill all week due to this - I am not a thief at all.

I work as a teacher and extremely worried about this.

For example - my daughters best friend tried on a ring - in a outdoor market - and forgot to give it back - she arrived back at ours and said what should I do??? I said take it back - which she did - I am sure this happens all the time - but now I am just so upset and the shop is only around the corner - any advice - should I write to them explaining everything ?? Has anyone ever had this happen to them at all?

OP posts:

FiveShelties · 20/07/2016 18:01

I paid for my groceries at a Safeway store, walked to my car and realised I had an 18 pack of toilet rolls ( slotted by the handle over my wrist) which I had not paid for. I went back and the security guard laughed and said it was the most blatant piece of shoplifting he had ever seen! The pack could not have been bigger - I was so embarrassed. I tried to pay for them and the supervisor gave them to me for being honest and coming back. I never, ever leave a shop now without checking I have nothing over my arm.

It is so easy done - thinking about other stuff etc

Goingtobeawesome · 20/07/2016 18:03

I wouldn't write to them..

NeedMoreSleepOrSugar · 20/07/2016 18:13

Easy to do. Dh and I once walked out of a clothing store with about £100 worth of baby clothes hung on the pram. (Big sale, had picked out loads, hung them on pram to decide which to buy but somehow forgot to hang the ones we didn't want back up on the rails). We paid for the clothes we wanted, left the store and didn't realise what we'd done until in another store some 20 minutes later. Returned to the store mortified. Cashier said not to worry, it happens all the time. (Still double check every time I leave a store now! )

straightouttacompton · 20/07/2016 18:13

I guarantee that every single person caught shop-lifting small amounts say they 'forgot' to pay for an items.

It's a common tactic of shoplifters to pay for several items but 'forget' they put another in their bag. Sometimes it is a genuine mistake but security staff have to draw the line somewhere.

And lots of middle class, professional people shop-lift and when stopped after leaving say 'oh it was a mistake, of course I'll pay'. Shop-lifters aren't all addicts or professional criminals. Lots of people shop-lift who can afford the item but think it's over-priced, or it won't matter to the store as they're not stealing a high value item or they just get a bit of a thrill out of it.

Security staff see it all the time so they can't just say 'oh of course it was a mistake' on the off-chance it was. They wouldn't be very good security staff if they did that.

Propertyquandry · 20/07/2016 18:23

I have friends who were given a lifetime ban from tesco for not paying for loo roll. They had family coming to stay the week before their wedding and did an enormous shop with 2 trollies coming to almost £300! But they'd hung the loo roll over that little hook under the handle and their concentration was less than usual due to wedding stuff and expecting 12 guests that evening.
Anyway, the manager and security guard said people use that hook all the time to shoplift and pretend they forgot gave them a lifetime ban. The store did call the police but no charges were brought even though the manager said they always prosecute. It was horrible for them though and really lowered their excited mood. Friends kept asking why they thought they'd spend £300 and try to steal a packet of loo roll but tesco wouldn't listen. I don't think they ever went back but they've certainly used other Tescos since then despite always referring to them as Bastard Tescos. I don't think anything was recorded criminally though as one is a teacher and the other a GP and neither have ever mentioned an issue so op shouldn't worry on that score.

BusStopBetty · 20/07/2016 18:29

I've almost done it, put a few items over the handle of the pram (in plain sight) and then forgot to but them on the checkout. Assistant pointed them out and I'm sure she thought I was fibbing, but it would have been a piss poor attempt at stealing give they were right on the top.

felicityking · 20/07/2016 18:37

Terrible treatment. Last year when i had my friends two small dc with me i forgot to pay for all my shopping. Went through checkout etc was chatting to the cashier then must have packed my stuff and left without paying! This is a shop i go to very regularly. The next time i was in after i had paid for my shopping the security guard discreetly took me aside and told me i forgot to pay for my shopping last time. I was mortified but he just laughed and said it was clearly a mistake and took me to customer services who had the receipt and i paid. So lucky they were so nice about it. I would complain about your treatment op.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 20/07/2016 18:37

Don't beat yourself up. Human error happens to the best of us. It was a genuine mistake..
I can't help but think had you been a 6ft tall 6ft wide hulk of a bloke. The security guard would have "convieniently" been distracted

CurlyhairedAssassin · 20/07/2016 18:40

"the manager and security guard said people use that hook all the time to shoplift"

I always hang my bag on that hook! Does that mean I'm being watched, then?! Where else are you supposed to put it?

CurlyhairedAssassin · 20/07/2016 18:43

The worst thing is when my phone in my handbag rings or I have a cold and have to fiddle in my bag looking for my phone or a tissue. I'm always paranoid that someone thinks I'm putting something in my handbag.

And now that you have to pay for carrier bags, if I've only bought a couple of items I put them straight in my handbag. I'm always paranoid to make sure I have the receipt to hand on the way out, just in case I get stopped and accused of stuffing things in my handbag.

snowy508601 · 20/07/2016 18:52

When I had a sixth form job in a supermarket I learned the most popular items to shoplift were the toiletries/cosmetics.These were concealed and then the cheap 'less desirable' item put through the till. so I don't think the security guards were B U- you do fit into that pattern.

Propertyquandry · 20/07/2016 19:04

Then my friends went to a heck of a lot of expense (spending close to £300) in order to 'steal' £3 worth of loo roll!

arethereanyleftatall · 20/07/2016 19:10

I think what you did was odd. If an item was small and falling out of my basket, I would have put it on top of larger items, in my basket. Certainly never in my bag. I'm not surprised they thought it was dodgy.

mirime · 21/07/2016 00:22

I used to work in retail, I saw many embarrassed parents rushing back in because they'd forgotten they'd hung clothes on their pushchair. Always just accepted their apologies.

And I accidently stole a bag of oranges from Sainsburys once. Had hung it on my wrist so I could carry other things and didn't realise it was there until 10 minutes after we'd driven off. I had a cold so wasn't quite with it, obviously. Did a similar thing a few weeks ago, but the guy on the till saw it. I didn't understand why he kept doing this vague gesturing thing at me so must have been looking at him blankly until he finally just asked for it Not sure why he didn't just ask straight away rather than waving his arm at me!

Original poster

charlotte300 · 21/07/2016 07:16

Thank you for all of your responses . Chat later have a fantastic day everyone

OP posts:

Arkwright · 21/07/2016 07:41

Why would you put something in your bag that you hadn't paid for? I am not surprised they thought you were shoplifting.

dustarr73 · 21/07/2016 08:40

To be fair its dodgy to put something in your bag you havent paid for.
Shoplifters come in many disguises and its been my experience its not always the people you think either.

myownprivateidaho · 21/07/2016 08:52

Tbh I think it's pretty standard that if security catch someone who appears to be about to leave without paying that they'll be banned from the shop. I think it's pretty bad that they took you to a room and got your address and picture, since I presume they didn't explain you had the right to refuse! I don't think I would carry on shopping there though -- I imagine that the picture was for a wall full of known shoplifters, and it would be embarrassing and unpleasant if they asked you to leave (which they would be fully within their rights to do). If you need to keep shopping there, I would write to the central office explaining the mistake - but they don't have to do anything. It was a mistake is the excuse of every shoplifter ever, so I don't actually blame them for not buying it every time.

myownprivateidaho · 21/07/2016 08:56

And yeah, if security guards see you putting items in your own bag before paying, they are going to want to search that bag before you leave. I wouldn't do this if you want to avoid that unpleasantness.

Mari50 · 21/07/2016 09:01

There was a lady talking in radio 4 the other week saying how she'd been given a lifetime ban from marks and spencer. Picked up some cans of juice and put them in her basket (she was in a mobility scooter) then took a phone call but had to move to get better reception and ended up outside the shop (this is her story), security collared her and she had to pay for drinks and issued with lifetime ban which was enforced as she went into another branch a year later and they sent her packing. She got consumer program to intervene on her behalf and they relented but it is done.

Original poster

charlotte300 · 21/07/2016 09:15

@myownprivateidaho

thank you for post rather sad that the image may have been sent to other shops - like a wanted poster

OP posts:

weirdsister · 21/07/2016 09:22

I wouldn't want the store to have any more of my money so would happily never shop with them again. Op you have a receipt for your purchase - don't worry.

diddl · 21/07/2016 09:29

I cab see both sides of this.

Op sees herself as a loyal shopper in a small shop.

Security see her put something in her own bag & not pay.

Now ideally, staff in the shop would have vouched for her and security may not have gone about things correctly.

But basically, Op concealed something, didn't pay & they don't want her to shop there anymore.

KittyKrap · 21/07/2016 09:35

We had a wall of people banned in the staff room of my old shop. I'm not sure any of us ever looked at it! The mistake you made was putting it into your bag (which I'm sure you know now!), I'd have carried it in my hand to the till. Don't panic, you can get health food stuff cheaper online anyway

Kayakinggirl86 · 21/07/2016 10:25

Still have horrid thoughts about the time I put my shopping through the self service machine at tesci then just picked it up and left without paying.
I realised when I got to the car and went straight back in and paid but by this time I had got myself in to a state so eneded up the manager sitting me in his office with a cup of tea caming me down. The only defence I had was it was near the end of term so was tired was also the week after me and DH moved in together and DSD did not sleep for first month that we lived together. So was majorly sleep deprived.

Flip

1 2 3 4