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'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.

Your words not mine, you always stand there and watch security guards do their jobs even if there is no issue, just in case. So you are profiling the security guards as either being incompetent or arseholes that prey on children to treat them unfairly?

Yes I can quite imagine many are incompetent or arseholes. I mean look at all the times police get called out.....child Q for example....that's with all their training. So yes, I can well imagine your bog standard security guard being less than perfect.

Have you never heard about adults who hand out cards to kids being stopped and searched which gives them information about their rights.

Good on them

ok, you now agree you are profiling security guards.

Why is that any different to profiling teens, who are also less than perfect and sometimes make bad decisions due to immaturity, that were acting a bit suspiciously and taking reasonable actions (checking a bag is reasonable) to protect your business?

No that's not profiling. That's making sure a person in a position of power is treating a vulnerable child who is alone without an appropriate adult properly.

They were not "alone" they were in the middle of a supermarket with their friends and the security guard asked to check her bag. It is not as if he took her into an interrogation room and waterboarded her!

If a teen cannot cope with that they shouldn't be out alone.

I wasn't talking about the ops specific situation. I'm explaining what I do. You just said they are not alone as they're on a shop floor... ergo other customers are around as witnesses. Yet you seem to object to my witnessing any encounters

Shoplifting is part of the price of doing business in retail. Security staff have no powers to search or touch anyone. They cannot detain.

ive intervened on behalf of kids being hassled by security guards in big shopping malls. I remember one was holding onto a kid’s bike and his arm. I told the fat little prick to let go and that I would report him to the police for attempting to detain a child. I reminded him that he has no power over anyone and nobody is accountable to him.

the idea that these random shop security guards should be allowed to detail, search or harass people is preposterous.

yes, shoplifting occurs. But it is the price of doing business and is written off as shrinkage and largely covered by insurance.

The security guard has no right to check anyone’s bag and should certainly not be trying that shit with children.

they have no statutory powers or authority whatsoever.

I am saying there is absolutely no need to hover in the background watching their interaction as an unnecessary hero in waiting to create a drama when it is not needed. Do you wear a cape?

If the teens want support, they have their friends with them and they can call their parents on the mobile phones they all carry. I know my ds would be more "humiliated" with a busy body stranger hanging about watching and wading in to "help".

You must have a lot of faith in these jumped up security guards. If we can't always trust the police, I certainly won't be blindly trusting security guards.

I’ll do more than help personally. I’m happy to roll about on the ground with these mall cop wannabes if they are being aggressive or acting illegally towards kids.

Guess who ends up paying for the shrinkage?

Yes, the mugs that we honest customers are.

The customers doing most of the theft where I work currently are women with strollers and/or loose clothing, especially burkas, and men brazenly grabbing stuff and hightailing it past security. Yet security ARE far more likely to stop schoolkids or little old ladies to check their bags/ receipts. Low hanging fruit.

Tough.

and yes, I’m sure retailers really would lower prices is shoplifting didn’t exist. 😆