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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu to think I aided/abetted a theft

41 replies

MangosteenSoda · 20/02/2022 18:31

Just that really. In the supermarket today the theft alarm sounded as I pushed my shopping trolley through the door. I had bought an iron and assumed that was the culprit so I turned back, spoke to the security guy who checked my receipt then I left the store.

The aibu part is that the alarm didn’t sound as I left for the second time. The security guy had said to not mind the alarm again as I left. When it didn’t sound, it sort of came to me immediately what had happened…

On my first exit attempt a couple with a child were standing right by the doorway, almost blocking it. I vaguely thought it was a bit odd to block the doors like that and I suppose there was something about them/the scene that seemed off, but I was just in my own world doing my shopping. The woman was wearing a really large hoody with a massive hood totally flopping over the sides of her face and was the one pushing the trolley. Child in shopping trolley sitting on the items inside.

The whole receipt check took seconds, but they had disappeared when I left and weren’t visible in the smallish car park. For people who were massively lingering, they ended up disappearing very quickly.

Any supermarket workers familiar with this kind of con? I thought it was interesting in that I reacted exactly as they anticipated and their timing must be spot on. I also thought it interesting that my mind suddenly knew exactly what had happened even though I wasn’t paying attention. Those peripheral things had subconsciously niggled and as soon as I walked back through the doors I could see it all.

Has anyone else inadvertently abetted a con?

OP posts:
Magissa · 20/02/2022 18:42

About 15 years ago I was coming out of the supermarket with my shopping. The back door to the car park didn't have automatic doors you had to push them open. There were 2 man carrying a huge tv - I said "let me get the door for you" They went off into the car park and I sauntered out just as several staff came running past me...I realised what had happened as I saw the tv being pushed into the back of a car and screeching off.

TimeForTeaAndG · 20/02/2022 18:44

It's a well-known shoplifting trick. Sometimes an accomplice sets off the alarm, and distracts the staff with apologies, other times it's the way it happened with you.

Ilikewinter · 20/02/2022 18:44

Yep sounds like they were most likely stealing, its a common occurrence

OMGItsEarly · 20/02/2022 18:45

Customer wanted help with a boxed computer package, she had some questions to ask to see if it suited their needs. It was worth Several hundred pounds and she didn’t want to buy it if it wasn’t going to be suitable.
Tech guy was called over to assist with the customer who just happened to be standing with receipt in her hand as she had been discussing an item with her partner.
Tech guy arrived ‘I can help you with the Computer, come on over’. He walks over to the display, picks the big box up then says to her ‘where about are you parked?’.
Yep, customer led him to the car and he helpfully put the free computer in the boots. I bet she couldn’t believe her luck!

TheNestedIf · 20/02/2022 18:45

I once noticed that one of the men I had just seen perusing the spirits in a very empty supermarket was following me unnecessarily closely down an aisle. The reason for this, I realised when I looked round, wasn't him being a perv. It was that he had a bottle shoved down his tracksuit bottoms and didn't want either security or CCTV to spot it. When I got to the till, his friend was making a legitimate (low value) purchase as a decoy. Unfortunately, because of this, by the time I was able to alert security safely, the thief was out the door. Just as well I didn't openly accuse him because when I left, he and his friends were blatantly swigging from the bottle only just outside.

TimeForTeaAndG · 20/02/2022 18:46

However, you weren't to know. So don't feel bad about it.

MangosteenSoda · 20/02/2022 18:55

I don’t feel bad, just a bit weirded out because I almost instantly knew what had happened. The security guard had just wandered right back off and I was running late for picking up my DC so I didn’t report it. I figure the big stores know all of the scams anyway.

Love hearing about the pp who held the door open for TV theft. Sure I would have done the same Grin

OP posts:
MangosteenSoda · 20/02/2022 19:06

I think I’m also a bit worried because the checkout worker who served me was wearing a big badge saying she has autism. The iron packaging clearly says it has a tag/alarm. I don’t want her to get in trouble for an alarm sounding and being linked to an iron she checked through.

OTOH, I assume supermarkets aren’t that smart/vindictive that they would link that alarm to her but as my DC is autistic, I’m a bit paranoid about that.

OP posts:
Astitichintimesaveswine · 20/02/2022 19:37

I had a similar experience in the supermarket the other day. As I was walking towards from the tills to the exit, a woman came from the clothing section at the side. She had a shopping trolley and was walking very purposefully towards the door.

I thought it was a bit strange that she had presumably done her shopping but wasn't coming from the tills.

Anyway, she nipped in just before me at the door and the alarm went off. She'd obviously tried to cause confusion about which of us had made it go off. Just then, a store detective stopped her and she was caught red handed.

TruJay · 20/02/2022 19:43

@Magissa My DH actually helped someone to their car with a stolen tv when he worked at woolies Grin the guy had nabbed a roll of SOLD tape and covered the box in it then asked DH for a hand to his car!

Georgeskitchen · 20/02/2022 19:44

The security guards know all the shoplifters tricks, but unfortunately they can't be in all places at all times. Some supermarkets have trolleys that lock the wheels if they haven't been through a checkout so they can't take the trolley away 😅

Magissa · 20/02/2022 19:45

@TruJay Some people are so cheeky!

KitKattaktik · 20/02/2022 19:48

When Wilko opened in Colchester they had the same frequency as the library did on their system. People would walk out, with bulky pockets or a full bag and the alarm went off and the staff called over "library book? Customers said yes and promptly legged it.

Arabellla · 20/02/2022 20:00

It happened to me the other day, the guy behind me followed me out of the supermarket, and when the alam rang, I stopped in case it was me, and he said ‘oh fuck’ when the security guard came out, and then did a runner. Safe to say it was him. The guard chased him for a bit and then gave up.

I also see lots of people not pay for their shopping at self-check outs.

Georgeskitchen · 20/02/2022 20:04

@MangosteenSoda

I think I’m also a bit worried because the checkout worker who served me was wearing a big badge saying she has autism. The iron packaging clearly says it has a tag/alarm. I don’t want her to get in trouble for an alarm sounding and being linked to an iron she checked through.

OTOH, I assume supermarkets aren’t that smart/vindictive that they would link that alarm to her but as my DC is autistic, I’m a bit paranoid about that.

Don't worry about that, alarms get missed on goods (especially clothing) all the time!! It's unlikely the assistant would get in any trouble
MangosteenSoda · 20/02/2022 20:10

@Georgeskitchen thanks for the reassurance! That was niggling a bit.

OP posts:
MondeoFan · 20/02/2022 20:17

My friend works in aldi and they have little/no security. She tells me it's a nightmare sometimes with people running out with whole trollies of shopping. Alarm doesn't always go off as most times aren't tagged. It's only things like alcohol and steaks etc that are tagged

ButtockUp · 20/02/2022 20:18

People are often walking through the exit at our Tesco and the alarms go off. They just carry on and no one stops them.
Makes you wonder really.

MintyFreshBreath · 20/02/2022 20:22

I was in Tesco Express once waiting for the self service checkout. The person in front of me put through about £45 of stuff and then casually strolled out with it all, no attempt to pay. The transaction was still right there on the screen. I told the security guard on the door (it was a small store) but he made no attempt to stop the thief leaving. The lady behind the till just voided the transaction and that was the end of that! I couldn’t believe how nonchalant they were about it.
Then there was the time I was in Greggs and a guy stuffed a 4 pack of yum yums right down his shorts in front of me. The lady behind the counter shouted at him to put them back, and he did.
Public announcement…don’t buy yum yums from Greggs as they may have been near some guy’s sweaty crotch as I didn’t see the employee take them off the shelf after their expedition 🤮

MangosteenSoda · 20/02/2022 20:26

Eewww. Pubey yum yums Envy

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 20/02/2022 21:10

The person in front of me put through about £45 of stuff and then casually strolled out with it all, no attempt
This used to happen where I used to work, staff are specifically told not to chase after shoplifters, the level of abuse is quite shocking but most members of the public wont ever see that.
Same with security guards, they stop the person, it kicks off, if they detain him/her and it can be a few hours before the police come and if its low value they wont come at all so its not worth it..plus they have to have somewhere to hold that shoplifter and in a small store there just isnt anywhere. Honestly people get away with shoplifting the majority of the time.

DoctorTwo · 20/02/2022 21:45

I'm like you OP, whenever the alarm goes off I turn back towards security, probably out of some misplaced guilt or something daft. It happens to me at least once a week. I did buy a printer a few weeks ago, only a cheap one, from the Tescos, it went through the till, the security tag was taken off and off I went on my merry way. It wasn't until a couple of days later that I checked the receipt and it wasn't on there, so I got a £40 printer for nowt. I'm not bragging, I'm fucking mortified. What happens when I go back? It feels like I'm going to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, it's quite unsettling.

i can feel my cheeks burning as I type this.

Arabellla · 20/02/2022 21:48

I'm not bragging, I'm fucking mortified. What happens when I go back? It feels like I'm going to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, it's quite unsettling.

I can feel my cheeks burning as I type this.

I never get these self-flagellating posts. When you go back to Tesco, they will not bat an eyelid, thieves don’t go back to shops to pay for stolen goods.

liveforsummer · 20/02/2022 21:48

You'd think security would be wise to this too. Why didn't they go after dodgy looking family? Definitely not your mistake

Itsmeandhim · 20/02/2022 21:55

In the early 90's I worked for Argos.
Our manager liked posters.
One poster in the staff room was to remind us
to offer a shop lifter a carrier bag. Small writing.
But in big letters don't tackle a shop lifter as we
were more important than goods.