To think the shop assistant was a bit harsh about my dc stealing.

[Isabellaandthepotofbasil]

We were out shopping at the weekend and I went into a shop with dd in the buggy . The shop has quite narrow aisles and the one I needed had a pillar in the middle so I parked dd up at the end and nipped down the aisle to get what I wanted, paid and we left. Yesterday morning I was cleaning the bottom of the buggy and I found a lipstick and two nail varnishes. Dd must have reached out from under the rain cover and picked them off the shelf whilst I was down the aisle! Obviously I'm mortified!

So I went back to the shop today with the stuff, offered to pay or return it and apologised profusely. The woman was awful to me. What kind of person let's their kids steal... I really should have checked before I left etc. She said they couldn't take the lipstick and nail varnish back in case I'd tampered with them. I said that I would pay for them so she scanned them through, I paid and I went to pick them up when she said that there was no way I could have them, she said 'did you really expect to be able get away with stealing them then get to keep them!'.

Now I didn't go in expecting to receive my mother of the year certificate but AIBU to think that I didn't deserve to be humiliated either?

Update.

Got to the shop just as it opened so got to speak to the manager who was absolutely lovely! Very apologetic and sorted everything out for me. Aparently this happens from time to time (so not just me!)and the parents returning things usually get a big thank you and it gets laughed off, which seems to be what happened with others who have posted.

I should have spoken to the manager when it happened, (and I wish I had now I know they're nice)but I have problems with anxiety and situations like that just make me fluster.

Thank you for your help.

That's a good outcome, hope that assistant was disciplined.

Well done OP, and glad the manager was nice about it.

I hope the bitch assistant gets in trouble though.

Glad you spoke to the manager OP. What an utterly ridiculous woman she sounds. As if a toddler in a buggy has the remotest idea about stealing - and her response after you paid for the items! What a tool.

Did you get the items back OP?

What a confused tale... Did she seriously say you couldn't have the stuff you'd just paid for? Are you sure you understood correctly??

Apparently I was quite the klepto when I was in the trolley/buggy and DM had to do a sweep before the checkout. I think it's soooo common and she was VU. The one time I accidentally 'stole' as an adult (tucked a 45p pack of tissue paper under my arm to rifle through greetings cards and left shop with it still there) I went back mortified and they laughed at me and said they can't believe I was honest enough to go back in! What a fucking jobsworth!

What an odd story 😄

What shop is this? I would complain publicly on their Facebook page. You've paid for them and they are yours. You even went back which many people wouldn't do.

My DD stole a pair of aged 8-9 pyjamas from Woolworths many moons ago when she was about 18 months

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her waving something about, but I didn't twig until we got outside.

Took them straight back inside and gave them to the person on the till who was really horrible. Accused me of using my child to shoplift and threatened to call the police to have me prosecuted. The manager was called in the end who told the sales person not to be so daft, it happened all the time and at least I was honest enough to return it

If I was going to use my child to nick stuff, I'd make sure she nicked something a bit more useful

Yes and you wouldn't then go back into the shop and tell them what you'd done. You'd be a pretty useless shoplifter to do that.

glad the manager sorted it did she give u the items back?

I have a ball of pink string that my DD stole from Woolworths in very similar circumstances. I never returned it

So YOU'RE the reason they went bust.

Glad the store manager was a bit more reasonable, OP. I'm sure it's a pain for shops when this sort of thing happens, but with the best will in the world it's not always possible to stop it happening. It's better for everyone if customers feel comfortable enough to bring things back though.

Items back or a refund?

Complain to Superdrug.

You noticed something that had happened by accident. I'd point out she'd been left unattended due to their store design.
Say you went back and offered to pay or return and when told they couldn't be returned you paid.
Ask them why you then weren't allowed to exit with the goods and ask what power the store member had to refuse to to take them?

It's always worth with a complaint asking them to answer questions that they can't give an answer to that puts them in the right!

Sorry on phone and hadn't scrolled all the way down

Glad manager was much more reasonable!

Thankfully, The Entertainer, toy shop was very good about it when something similar happened.

Did you get the items back and/or a refund? Was the shop assistant thief there and get into trouble?

I'd still consider writing to head office and letting them know. Point out that the manger handled it well when you went back, but the thief shouldn't have treated you like that in the first place.

Did you get money or goods back op?