13 year old wrongly accused of shoplifting Weetabix

[nojellybabies]

He went to Tesos to buy Weetabix and butter. This is what he said:

As he put the Weetabix in his bag a female employee came up to him and challenged him saying “what are you doing with that Weetabix?” She called the manager over who said “what’sgoing On?” My son (who hates having to explain himself to strangers and struggles with this sort of thing) said “did you think I was stealing it?” . She replied “yes, you have to use a basket” then moved away.

He paid at self service. As he walked out of the shop the manger called him back and there, in the lobby, in front of a crowd of bystanders took his bag and searched it then demanded the receipt for the Weetabix. Which my son produced. The manager said “sorry you can go”. Interested bystanders told him to go home and tell his family to complain.

He was seriously distraught. Several episodes of Father Ted later he is still feeling humiliated and as if everyone in town now thinks he is a criminal. Even the “my lovely horse” episode only helped a bit.:(

I’ve spoken to the general complaints line and asked the man there (who started apologising when I said the word “Weetabix”-I mean who the hell shoplifts Weetabix?) to get the shop to write to my son to apologise.

I haven’t marched down there because I don’t want to embarrass him further. I am trying to stress all the things he did right to him.

Something is surely wrong with the training here? AIBU?
And Weetabix?!? admittedly he bought some butter too but all the same...

I’ve honestly never seen someone put items straight in their bag rather than in a basket or trolley.

That said, they should have waited till he crossed the threshold before confronting him because nothing was technically stolen until he leaves the shop.

I’d recommend to him to use a basket next time.

I always just put stuff in my shopping bag until i get to the till. Hate baskets.

I bet ops son didn’t have a double buggy with him though, so it’s still inexplicable why he didn’t just use his hands to carry the two items to the till which was probably a few seconds away from where he was standing.

All he has to do is put it in a basket or carry it. Problem solved

As a non driver who doesn’t live on the bus route it’s amazing how quickly I learned how much shopping I could fit in my bags when using a basket in the shop. I had literally no idea that was difficult for some people to work out.

Well, we aren’t all as blessed as you Happily.

I think I will go to the shop with a photograph of him and insist it is placed in the staff room with his name. He cannot use a trolley or basket because of the need to take exactly as much as he can carry and I don’t want him t9 be harassed like this again

But he was only carrying two things this time. I don't understand why he can't estimate what would fit in the bag?

I’ll go talk to them. They will be relieved I’m not yelling.

I wish I worked in Tescos now, you'll be the amusement of the staff. Imagine not stopping someone you thought might be shoplifting because his mummy brought a photo in.

When going round with a buggy I always put things in my own bag, didn't have any hands free to push a trolley or carry a basket.

Perhaps because it was a rucksack and he could have easily managed a basket too it looked a bit suspect?
However, he hadn't left the store so they were extremely rude to accuse him of shoplifting...and then to not even watch to see if he had paid...security weren't really doing their job then were they?!

I know and I do feel blessed. I hope it all works out for him and that the fear doesn’t hold him back too much. I have faith that he will get through with your support and with his photo up in the staff room :)

I think the first woman just warned him to use a basket, then after he paid they checked his receipt to make sure he had paid for the weetabix.

It’s a well known trick for mums to put things on the pram and then “forget” to pay. A lot of supermarkets will keep an extra eye on shoppers loading up shopping on their peaks.

On their prams.

He is actually scared to go back as any 13 year old would be after today.

But nothing actually happened apart from he was spoken to and had to show his receipt? May be worth addressing the root cause of his fear to help him through it x

In all my years shopping in many different places I've never seen shoppers put stuff directly into their own bags except the odd one or two who would then be followed around the shop by security!

He does understand that you can only get into trouble if you have actually stolen something, right?

The root cause is what happened today.

Uhm, unless there's a clear notice at the entrance or trolleys/baskets that these items must be used at all times and customers not using them may find themselves accused of shoplifting, you can use a bag of your own.

I wonder what the response of the same member of staff would have been, had the 'shoplifter' been an OAP.

Anyway, where we are, we are routinely asked to lift up coats and open bags, even in trolleys. That would be a better policy, IMO.

There is nothing wrong with putting stuff in a bag in a shop. I would also march down there and ask for an explanation.

Do none of you go to supermarkets with scan guns? Grab gun, scan and put into bag, go to self scan check out and pay without unloading bag?

Since that option became available we just put everything into bags at sainsbury now. Only use a trolley at aldi.

Ok, I think there are some people on the thread now who are drunk, malicious or all three.
Thanks again to the normal people. Off to name change.tthread hidden and not another thought given to the unpleasant posters.

Hate to be pedantic but drunk and malicious is only two things....anyway hope things get better for him soon op hopefully he’ll be feeling better tomorrow.

I really don't think taking a photo in is a good idea. They will still have to treat him the same as they would anyone else. Having his photo up doesn't mean that he'll never attempt to shoplift in the future. Otherwise all actual shoplifters would be taking their photos into supermarkets.

Plenty of people manage to shop with a basket or trolley and still work out how much they can buy to carry it home. It's really not that hard.

Honestly, they thought he was stealing somrhey challenged him. It’s a perfectly reasonable and proportionate response. He learned a lesson that he cannot put stuff in his bag before paying for it.

I absolutely would not be going down there and taking photos with me or whatever. I’m sure in the future he can manage to estimate the number of items he can carry a few hundred metres home. If he gets too many to fit in the bags he has, he can buy a carrier bag and just carry it in the same hand as one of the other bags. He won’t keel over and die becasue he has to carry an extra bag.

And of course shops have a ‘right’ to challenge people they think are shoplifting whenever they happen to be in the shop. It might not stand up in a court of law as evidence of intent to deprive, but it’s not against the law to ask someone if they have stolen something from your premises.

This thread is mad. Nobody puts stuff in their bags going around the supermarket. I live in Ireland and I've never seen this done.

Of course he was stopped. I can't believe your surprised, and what's with all the diddley-eye farther Ted stuff? You're messing.

And as for putting his photo up in Tesco are you crazy? Just tell him to get a wheely basket and learn to judge what he can carry. A 13 year old is well able to do that.

I always put my shopping directly into the bag empty it at the till and rebag shopping. Never stopped. Did the same when I lived in the UK, never stopped there either. Definately lodge a complaint.

Do none of you go to supermarkets with scan guns? Grab gun, scan and put into bag, go to self scan check out and pay without unloading bag?

Nope. I've never been in a supermarket with that facility.