12 year olds being stopped and bags searched.

[Howdoidoit100]

My daughter and her friend were today stopped in a large store and told (not asked) to hand over their bags. They were absolutely terrified so just did as they were told. They hadn't put anything in their bags but one child had something in her hand that she planned to buy. The security officer then told another member of staff to take them to the tills to ensure they paid for the item in the girls hand.

At the time they were searched they were in the middle of the store still browsing (not trying to leave)

No apology or explanation was offered and one of the girls disolved in to tears after leaving. They were absolutely humiliated with everyone in this large store staring at them whilst they were searched.

Am I unreasonable to feel they were treated unfairly? At the very least I would like the security to have called me before searching them and provided an explanation of why they were being searched. I would have been able to guide the girls on what to do and perhaps made it less frightening for them.

I do understand kids do steal....I just don't like how this was handled. Not sure if I'm being over protective.

I’d feel the same as you. They didn’t try leave the shop, I’d feel differently if the security guard stopped them as they were leaving but in the middle of the aisle seems unreasonable.
I know others may feel differently and I understand the person was doing their job but the girls were frightened. I’d be tempted to speak to the shop about this.

I'd be absolutely fuming

They wouldn’t stop an adult until they were leaving/left the shop and then they would need very good reason.
This is just another time when young people are treated as less than and it’s not good enough. I assume it was just the bag searched and not the young people themselves? Still not on but if it was the latter I would take it much further. Have you complained?

This reminds me of when I was a child and every time I went into our local Boots store with a friend we would get followed around the store by the security guard. I’ve never stolen anything in my life. I remember feeling so uncomfortable at the time.

I'm torn having done my stent in retail it predominantly was secondary aged children who shop lifted.

But I would be curious of the rules around searching as I understand it has to be voluntary only the police can search without permission and even then there are strict rules.

Reality is shoplifting is commonly commited by teens and I remember hearing lots of stories from ds of kids at his school getting searched or caught so i can't blame shops for putting in rules such as only 2 kids in the shop at a time or asking to check bags / pockets.

Ds was told shops are not playgrounds and he understood why teens might be eyed with suspicion and that he can thank his school peers for that. Told him if you are asked you have nothing to worry about if you have done nothing wrong and the quickest thing to do is just be calm, show your bag and be respectful to those doing their job.

Obviously a body search of children is unacceptable but I don't see a problem with checking bags, asking them to empty pockets.

Your Dds and/or her friends reaction was overly dramatic.

I do not think security staff should be allowed to approach children who don't have an adult with them in order to search bags.

Then children won't be able to go to shops by themselves.

You can't have it both ways.
Very common for children and teens to shoplift.

I agree with @SeemsSoUnfair

So children who are old enough to go to the shops themselves should just be allowed to leave with goods?

Having worked in retail, the alternative is going into a scary looking security room and waiting for a fairly long time with staff members present (but not allowed to communicate) while cctv etc is checked.

Also, for most teenagers, a phonecall to their parents is the scariest possible outcome.

I’d contact the store manager and higher-ups to let them know that it was humiliating for the children and that you feel that it could have been handled better.

Where I live, the local supermarket requires children to leave their school bags at the service desk by the entrance. I think it’s a good idea as it avoids this type of incident.

Correct...I do not think children without an adult should be stopped by a security guard. They may not know what to say or what their rights are. They could actually be terrified.

Personally I care more about children than the revenue of a shop.

No, it’s parents’ responsibility to go over this type of thing with your DC before you let them go to town with their mates. I explained to mine why they might be stopped and how they must behave.

Teens shoplift- when I worked in retail we had several incidents. If shops weren’t allowed to search teens’ bags there would be a free for all.

What age are you allowed free reign to shoplift up to? 16? 18? 21? 25?

If they “don’t know what to say” or are likely to be “terrified” then they probably shouldn’t be allowed to go into shops without a parent.

Not all shops are large companies either. Many are independently owned and can’t afford the losses incurred.

Is there a sign near the door that says no bags/rucksacks or other rules they might have broken? If not, it seems pretty mean.

Then again, there might have been a valid reason, especially if there were a lot of them.

Even if its in your bag its not theft if you haven't left the store. If I have too much to carry I'll shove some in my backpack. No shop assistant or security guard has evee cared. My DD would be in bits and completely mortified if this happened to her.

I was stopped by a security guard in my local supermarket...the checkout operator had left a tag on an item. I showed my receipt to the security guard and the tag was removed. The security guard then asked to see my receipt again to find out which checkout operator had made the error. I refused to show it again as I didn't want the staff member to get in trouble. The security guard then tried to block my exit from the store. Imagine if they did that to a child? He absolutely had no right to block my exit. I certainly do not want someone so badly trained to be able to stop a child.

Being stopped by a security guard can actually be quite scary whatever age you are. I've rarely come across a security guard who wasn't an ignorant, rude jobsworth

This is total abuse. They use to happen to me and my friends at that age. I was just naive to the world and adults would take advantage.

I would write in a complaint

I've seen security guards stop school kids ...I will always stand there and watch to make sure the child is ok and being treated fairly and if I see them being treated in a way I wouldn't want my child treated, I'm more than happy to stand up for them.

My daughter had a similar experience in Boots at that age. I complained and they sent a voucher through. Not ok though at all.

Okay, then let’s just do away with security completely and let everyone leave without paying, in case they get “scared”

In fact, just close the checkouts and make the whole thing a free for all eh? Sack the staff and just let the customers steal stuff straight from the storeroom eh? Don’t want to scare people.

This happened to a friend’s son. He is mixed race and sadly reckons he was profiled for this (as there were other white teenagers in the store who were left alone).
Friend is a police call dispatcher- HAHAHAHHAA she kicked up a massive stink. Rightly so. Son got given a written apology and 100 in vouchers.
your poor daughter and friend. What horrid bully behavior.

Like I say...I care more about children than the revenue of shops.

I care about my child therefore I won’t let her alone in a shop until I know she can deal with the “terrifying” (lol) scenario of being asked to see inside her bag.

In fact, she’d probably just show them and get on with her day rather than making a big song and dance about it. And shes 8.

This is just another time when young people are treated as less than and it’s not good enough.
Saw three teenagers pick up some aftershave the other day and talk about it. They were being absolutely fine but two shop assistants came over and acted like they’d robbed it and accused them of opening the aftershave door. I stepped in and said two of the doors were open already (I had been standing near that door and had seen them come in) and the look I got but they left them alone. Terrible how people jump to conclusions