Woman passively outed for shoplifting and I did nothing?

[Juliesdagger]

Weird one that’s rolling in my mind as I’m wondering if I should have stepped in ☹️
busy well known coffee shop in a supermarket this morning. As I was queuing, a man in front of me said loudly to the lady paying at the till “don’t forget the crisps you’ve got” as he spoke so loudly it was hard not to then hear the rest - she looked confused and said what crisps? I’m just getting my coffee” and again in a loud voice the man said “the crisps you put in your shopping bag” again the woman looked bemused, looked down at her carrier bag and said oh gosh they must have fallen in when I got my phone” (or similar, I didn’t get the exact words) and took them out to be scanned. She looked a bit upset and I heard her apologising to the barista at the till saying they were for her kid’s snack and she couldn’t believe she’d nearly forgotten to pay for them. The man who had called her out then started scoffing loudly saying “oh yeah, that happens to me allllll the time, things just fall into my bag and I forget about them” and smirking and rolling his eyes, clearly insinuating she had stolen them or tried to. The woman just looked clearly flustered and by this time had paid and she left looking like she was going to cry.

I then to my surprise saw the man leave
the queue (despite him being next in line to order) and head for the staff only door so he must work there! And was only waiting in line to see if she paid at the till for the crisps.

it’s been playing on my mind all day. The woman was clearly upset but I would have been too if I’d Been passively accused like that 🤷‍♀️I know you can’t type cast but she was buying an overpriced coffee and pastry, the crisps couldn’t have cost more
than £0.60 extra 🤷‍♀️and she looked well dressed, a bit flustered but not wonder and really just like your
average mum rushing Round supermarket etc so I guess I’m doubting if she was stealing? And I feel bad I didn’t challenge that It felt unprofessional of this man who clearly worked there to passively accuse her?

or am I being naive and she likely was attention to shoplift for a reason I can’t fathom?

Sued for what?

@PabloPawcasso If she forgot then why did she at first say they 'fell' into her bag and then change her story.

Hopefully it will stop her doing it again.

I imagine security saw her put them in her bag. It’s unlikely he just happened to be in the queue and noticed them sticking out of her bag.

I’m not too fussed about the way he spoke. And sure you’re not technically stealing until you walk out with the item but realistically people don’t hide away items like that.

Crisps aren't going to just fall into someone's handbag and wedge themselves I so deeply the person wouldn't notice. They're in a big puffy bags of mostly air. The bag would have to be gaping wide open for them to fall in and even then they're going to be perched at the very top.

It's possible the manager has told staff their jobs are on the line if petty thefts continue, and so they're being vigilant. I don't think the man did anything wrong. Adults shouldn't need to very gently be told not to steal things.

You forgot the price increases for the £1000s that is nicked every week.
We had a bloke yesterday that had an £8 toothbrush in one pocket and £6 razor blades in the other. My boss stopped him and quite clearly said "do you want to take those out of your pocket?" as he was nonchalantly walking out the door. He threw them in her face and ran off. It's rife, well dressed people as well as downtrodden ones.

Person stealing gets caught stealing.

But we don't know what he saw. Maybe he saw the way she deliberately pinched it – and then her flustered "damsel in distress" acting after that irritated him so much.

At uni I knew a few well to do types that got off on stealing for the thrill. They also knew there wouldn't be consequences if they just acted flustered and forgetful, because they were well-dressed and posh. Some of it was stupid cheap things (and some was like Dior makeup), but I've since learnt apparently Tesco/Waitrose/etc store managers and staff get in trouble / rely on the store's monthly bottom line.

"it wasn't worth humiliating a woman for"

@Mementomorissons would it have been worth humiliating a man for?

And I ask you this as a woman..

shoplifting has become a challenging crime to prosecute. Police wont come out if under a hundred pounds or something. You’re supposed to collate cctv until the offences add up to a hundred quid. Which is ridiculous tbh.

She's probably done the same previously, and now she got caught out. We have regular thieves who could win Oscar's for the act they put on in front of everyone.

Slander.

It wasn't slander. She had the crisps.

How?

😂😂😂

The usual way someone sues for slander?

But it's not slander

Not true. I regularly send cops to shoplifting calls where the amount is significantly less than £100. If someone's been detained they'll attend regardless of the amount - albeit the shop often change their minds & are happy that the shoplifter is spoken to & the goods returned. Prolific ones get arrested.

What was slanderous? He called her out - she had the crisps just as he said. That's hardly slander

Think it depends on area. Quick Google shows reliable sources (i.e. not just tabloid) quoting local police in some areas stating a minimum sum before they will attend.

Well that shows how.little you know 😆

I would think that's very much the case but it's not fair to say it has to be £X when it might not be the case

Tbh I think a minimum amount actually makes sense but not as much as £100. We regularly get calls for under a tenner which are really frustrating

OK go ahead explain how it's slanderous

Confused by the use of 'passively'

Are you going to explain, keep on drip feeding or take an intelligence test?

Need more info to be honest. It’s not clear what this bit might mean: they must have fallen in when I got my phone (got the phone from where?) I’d want the shopper to explain before making a definitive judgment.