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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To boycott Aldi

147 replies

NameChanger22 · 22/11/2018 18:50

Today I went to Aldi to do my weekly shop. It's my local supermarket and I often shop in there.

However, today I witnessed an incident which I found shocking and upsetting and it has made me think I won't shop there again.

I was walking past the tills with my trolley when I saw a security guard grab a woman as she was about to leave the shop, he didn't speak to her. I instantly thought she must be a shoplifter. He picked her up and carried her across the shop in front of everyone and then slammed her into a wall and pressed his body hard against her. She was screaming that he was hurting her. It looked so brutal and aggressive. She screamed more that he was crushing her ribs. Then he threw her into the staff room and 4 male members of staff bundled in after them. It was really shocking to watch.

I had no idea that security officers are allowed to be this heavy-handed with potential shoplifters.

I waited for the police and told them what I'd seen. They said they would watch the security footage and see for themselves.

If she was shoplifting she was obviously in the wrong, but I don't think she deserved this kind of brutal treatment.

Anyway, even though Aldi is convenient and cheap for me, I've decided to do all my shopping in Tesco now. AIBU?

OP posts:
Coughed · 22/11/2018 19:10

All the police cared about was doing me for the bite and the accidental hanger they wouldn't take my complaint about the way staff treated me.

The establishment is not there for women, we pay tax for police to service business and men.

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 22/11/2018 19:11

Very true Coughed. I can see why your experience would open your eyes to the way things are run.

OP posts:
Bangwhistlepop2 · 22/11/2018 19:14

I'd complain on the Aldi Facebook page and Twitter account so it's public and they have to do something about it. A letter can be ignored but a public complaint about an assault carried out by Aldi staff might push them into action.

nellieellie · 22/11/2018 19:14

A security guard can not use “reasonable force”. Anything in excess is an assault. The police might not give a damn but the woman could sue Aldi. This is clearly over the top.

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 22/11/2018 19:15

I will complain to someone. Thanks for the Facebook idea. I'm not on Twitter.

OP posts:
TopBitchoftheWitches · 22/11/2018 19:16

I work in retail, she would have been known to the security.

dontalltalkatonce · 22/11/2018 19:18

YABU, and rather silly to boycott an entire chain because of one person.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 22/11/2018 19:18

She won't sue Aldi, she probably already is paying back a fine to them.

Original poster
NameChanger22 · 22/11/2018 19:18

It was excessive force. She was a tiny woman. He was a huge man.

Thanks everyone, I needed to get it off my chest because I've felt really shaken since it happened. I'm going to try and stop thinking about it for a while now and watch a film. I'll make my complaints at the weekend.

OP posts:
TopBitchoftheWitches · 22/11/2018 19:19

She's probably been shop lifting again after a ban and a conviction.
Xmas is coming up. Hmm

Eilaianne · 22/11/2018 19:20

To those talking about known thieves or theft scum, the op has said the woman was not out the door!

What if this had been me, who often fiddled with my phone because I write the shopping list as a draft text message so DH can add anything at the last minute if I send it as I'm entering the shop? It might look like I'm pilfering in MANY of the supermarkets from certain angles!

Or what about my aunt who's a bit dotty and often does things like leave her gloves in Radom ailes then has to go back and pocket them back? (Real incident from this week in my local Tesco, we were at the car before it was spotted so it might have looked to security that she went in, bought nothing, pocketed something in the banana bit then just walked out).

Do either of us deserve to be tackled and carried? Slammed into a wall?

Apart from anything those security guards have no legal rights to do that if it IS a shoplifter or if it's not.

StripySocksAndDocs · 22/11/2018 19:20

You can boycott it, won't make a jot of difference though. So if you feel the need you'll have to report it to the police; and with that said I'm not sure that'll make a difference either unless the woman herself complains.

PrincessJuanita · 22/11/2018 19:22

At the end of the day, you can choose to shop wherever you feel safe and comfortable and this incident has made you feel unsafe there. I'd be tempted to write to their head offices and let them know how their local staff are behaving, it doesn't sound like the store manager was interested.

Eilaianne · 22/11/2018 19:22

Or social media to the Aldi team. They'll want to sort this from a pr pov if it's a rogue security supplier etc

CondomsLubricantAndFlapjack · 22/11/2018 19:22

OP

perhaps she was a persistent shoplifter who was banned from the store.

You have no idea what was going on. You could be accused of being a busybody with nothing to else do. Forget it and shop in Tesco in future.

Heartofglass21 · 22/11/2018 19:24

Known shoplifter, rightfully apprehended.

Probably.

ChanelPlease · 22/11/2018 19:28

'perhaps she was a persistent shoplifter who was banned from the store.'

It doesn't matter, she still shouldn't have been assaulted.

As the manager didn't seem interested I'd write to the head office and submit an official comp!aint.

Rachelover40 · 22/11/2018 19:29

Cough I'm so sorry you went through that, it was terrible.

GetOffTheTableMabel · 22/11/2018 19:31

I know I’m going against the grain here but I think you witnessed someone being criminally assaulted. I don’t see why it matters whether she was shoplifting or not, that sounds like assault to me. You didn’t see any stealing. You did see an assault. I think you should report the crime you actually witnessed to the police. This is wrong.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 22/11/2018 19:33

'perhaps she was a persistent shoplifter who was banned from the store.'

It doesn't matter, she still shouldn't have been assaulted.

As the manager didn't seem interested I'd write to the head office and submit an official comp!aint.

😂😂😂

Failingat40 · 22/11/2018 19:33

I think you've been smoking too much wacky bakky Hmm

Lots of misinformation on this thread.

The offence of theft by shoplifting is complete without leaving the store - if a person has passed the check outs with no intention of paying for concealed goods that's good enough. Same with concealing items in the store.

I'd love to see the actual footage here, I find it extremely hard to believe what you've described is what actually happened.
Security guards are well regulated now and work under the watchful eye of CCTV, staff and members of the public.

I'd cast a guess this woman is a persistent nuisance in the store and had to be restrained and overpowered quickly due to possible needles/weapons and previous violence towards staff.

I don't know why you're so triggered by this, if the woman feels she was victim of an assault I'm sure she'll not be slow in reporting it. If you're a shoplifting sympathiser I'm quite sure ALDI won't miss you if you decide to flounce.

SapphireSeptember · 22/11/2018 19:34

Assault is worse than shoplifting any day of the week. Even the police wouldn't be able to arrest someone like that! And no, I wouldn't want to shop somewhere like that on the off chance that they think I've been nicking something when I've put my phone or gloves in my bag (which I do in full view of the CCTV cameras just in case.) I've actually had things fall into my bags on occasion (and taken them straight back.) Should I be pinned up against a wall?

TinklyLittleLaugh · 22/11/2018 19:35

Shoplifter or not, no one should be treated like that.

Cough I can't believe they did that in front of your children. We're there no other witnesses? Could you have taken out a private prosecution?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 22/11/2018 19:35

Some of these stories are beyond shocking.
Itd be hilarious to watch him try and pick up a 6ft tall 4ft wide rugby player type of bloke. I bet they 'conveniently' wouldn't see thAt.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 22/11/2018 19:36

sapphire you really have no idea of the levels shop lifters go to, clearly.