Boots security accusation.

[Startyabastard]

I live in a major city and I very regularly go to Boots inside a shopping centre. Sometimes I have a big shopping trolley that I push (relevant because when I 'complained' that security followed me to a neighbour they said that it was a method that shoplifters use and security are aware that they do this) but there are also many times when I don't use it.
Anyway: I am a hoarder and I have adhd, so I can be a bit eager with products, but I always display them clearly in my hands and go to pay at the checkout. I prefer the manned checkout rather than the self check out for the exact fear of being accused of shop lifting, but sometimes the staff direct me to the self check out and I pay there.
Sometimes I forget my receipt, but I am always happy to go back and get it/prove which self check out/manned check out I have been on. One of the staff asked me which self check out I had used when the security alarm went off when I was exiting the store and he showed me how he could prove the last purchase on the particular till.
I don't always wait for the receipt or if I do, it I accidentally take the No.7 voucher 10% off print out instead. Sometimes I also have the receipt.
The lip glosses randomly have those stuck on security tags and they often beep when I walk out. After payment, I openly ask staff to remove them.

Last time I went to the Boots that i most regularly go to and the one where the security commonly beeps when I exit with my most bought product lip gloss (not sure if relevant), I was in the middle of the shop going to buy exactly that and security was watching me very, very closely and hinting to the other security guard to come closer to me.
I didn't want to be dictated to by them (or appear 'guilty' by quickly exiting the shop), but the more serious security guard 'edged' me out.
They did not 'accuse' me or even talk to me, but they both towered over me and got so close as that I felt I had to leave the shop. One of them (can't remember about the other) was security with a high vis vest and walkie talkie. I wasn't taken to the back of the shop or asked not to come back again, neither did other staff do anything to help.
Most of my purchases would be able to be seen on my Boots advantage card, but there was a time when I didn't have one because they stopped working due to not being registered online.
However, they do also have CCTV, which I am guessing they haven't consulted.
When I have been stopped by a security guard before, because the product still had the tag on and it made the alarms go off, he asked me for my receipt. I didn't have it on me, but he said it was fine to leave the shop. I went 'above this' because I have paranoia about this exact thing happen and I told him I could go and get someone to prove it. He said it didn't matter, but if I insisted, I could show him my online banking purchase and I did. I said I was paranoid about being thought of a shoplifter and he said that if I was one, I wouldn't have taken the time to show him.
After this, on another day, this I incident happened.

I have consulted two staff members from two other Boots stores, one being a manager and they didn't think it was appropriate that security behaved in this manner. One of the staff suggested to me that I call/email the customer care line.
I will probably complete this, but I don't know if they will be thorough/able to find the records of me paying etc.
I could go back to the shop where the incident happened and talk to the manager as the other manager of the other Boots advised, but I suspect that I might be edged out again and hence unable to find the manager.
Thanks for reading.

You need to change your behaviour. Security are right to protect from shoplifting and your behaviour is indicative of how these people behave. Change how you shop or accept this will happen again. Agree with op, take a basket. No trolley. No big bag.

@GhostCicada But it's not the only odd thing. In fact the smiling is the least odd thing about this all.

OP by admission is going around the shop, picking out lots of things and carrying them in her arms, and then going and putting them back, etc. Not as a one-off but as a habitual behaviour. This is a common shoplifting tactic as it's harder to keep track of what the person has visually if they are carrying around lots of stuff, putting things back, juggling it around. It's like the confusion tactic with money, overload the person with information so they don't notice discrepancies.

She sounds like she's then just buying small low value items, is constantly looking at security, watching what they are doing, is being very defensive and OTT about receipts, etc.

None of this is normal shopper behaviour. I suspect OP does have some issues aside from ADHD which is causing some of the issues here, particularly with regards to communication, but the fact is her behaviour is outside of most normal shoppers and probably will make people look more.

It doesn't sound like she's actually been accused of shoplifting or asked to leave anyway, it's all just her interpretation.

Then surely you say 'excuse me, what are you doing?!'

One of the telltale signs of a shoplifter is them looking around to see whether security or staff are watching. If you're looking to see whether security are watching you, then you're drawing unecessary attention to yourself.

Another telltale sign of a shoplifter is not having a receipt.

OP if you’re a hoarder they’ve probably done you a favour, saving you from buying more stuff you don’t need.

I can honestly say I haven’t seen anyone using a personal shopping trolley of any kind since about 1983

My DM has one, and I occasionally use it if I'm staying with her and walking to the shops and expecting to buy a lot. It's brilliant!

I put 1 bottle in my DD put the rest of the bottles in my basket. I removed them put them back on the shelf and told her no. Woman was kneeling down a few feet from us pretending to be doing something but was obviously spying on us.

My son struggles with eye contact hates anyone staring at him as she was at his eye level he ran out the shop. I returned said what I said purchased the sun cream as I couldn't get it anywhere else for DS eczema and left. And I don't give a fuck they shouldn't assume if someone is behaving out of the ordinary their a fecking shop lifter.

Yeah I know their just doing their job. I do usually cooperate when a tag is left on etc. But the way she was there staring at us when there was CCTV pics all the time. Of people in the local paper walking out with hundreds of pounds of products including expensive electrical items all the time. Maybe if she had picked on them and not a parent with two obviously disabled children it really did piss me off then they those thefts could have been prevented.

People with disabled kids nick stuff too

Regarding shopping trollies, a lot of stores don't allow them in now. My local Aldi won't let you enter with one. My local Asda and Morrisons make you leave them at the security guard stands and my local boots and superdrug have stopped people going in too.
They say it's for shoplifting reasons. I know all branches don't ban them, but I live on quite a small town and most of the shops here have banned shopping trollies.

Well yeah obviously I remember the mum that got her child to shoplift from his buggy. They were actually living in extreme poverty.

But what did she think I was going to do with all that sun cream? It's not like I could leg it with them. Both have epilepsy as well. I've never stolen anything in my life. Nothing about their behaviour was suspicious.

Strange how when I went in with friends nobody watched me. They just see a young mum and think shoplifter that's the jist of it. Our local Boots actually closed over a year ago. A lot of local mums actually said they felt uncomfortable going in. Even though the shoplifters on the CCTV stills were mostly young men.

Huh? I never pick up receipts in supermarkets and places like Boots. Why would I? What should I do with it? I never stole anything from any of these places either.

As for OP's situation, why are people so meek and scared of everything nowadays? Similar situation happened to me once. Went to Morrisons to pick up some foodstuffs and other bits. Wasn't 'acting shifty' or looking for security, just minding my business. Clocked a security guard after a while, sort of following me and standing behind me. Turned around and asked: excuse me, can I help you with something? End of story. He left.

And I can perfectly well understand why I was followed. I went there after a long day of helping my friend to move flats. Cleaning, packing, carrying boxes. I was wearing a tracksuit way past it's best and dirty from all dusting/cleaning/carrying, I was tired, hair in a bun, face sweaty. Had a backpack with me (on my back). Probably looked a right state. So don't blame the guy. But I didn't come to steal anything, so wasn't embarrassed, intimidated or outraged. He was just doing his job.

I always get a receipt. It is proof of payment. I think it is necessary these days.

I have no clue what this post is about... Is there a point to it?

I stopped reading halfway through but you do sound guilty. Maybe once in a blue moon will an alarm go off when leaving a store. Sounds like a it’s happening a bit too often to be an innocent coincidence for you.

Order online for click and collect?

The security guards get to know faces of suspects or people with suspicious behaviours

Now now @QuintessentialDragon enough with being rational now!! 😆

I make a point of taking my receipt whenever I'm in the local Morrison's. Was once stopped by a newish security chap just after I'd paid at the checkout.

He claimed he'd seen me walking out of the drinks section. (No, he hadn't.)

I let him check my bag of shopping in public, against my receipt. He looked at my bottle of lemonade and went bright red - he obviously thought I'd nicked a bottle of vodka.

He did apologise. I told him it was fine, though I was a tad annoyed.

But you said they didn’t speak to you, so how did they refuse to let you remain in the shop?

i think you’re making a mountain out of a molehill. Use a basket next time. If you’re aware that a basket is a “psychological trick to make you buy more”, then you won’t fall for it, will you?

I've regularly shopped, bought and left the shop with the alarm then beeping, security has come over and spoken to me. I never feel that I've done anything wrong because I know I haven't stolen anything.
My dh a lovely respectable head teacher used to get 'eyed' and followed by security in several high street shops. 6ft 2 with a shaved head and jeans and hoodie outfit. It became a game for us if I'm honest!
Op noone has accused you of stealing, nothing was said to you on the 2 guard incident and I really think you are over thinking it and allowing your anxiety to 'spook' you .
If you feel strongly enough about it, ask to speak, calmly, to the manager, ask if there's an issue, explain how you felt intimidated etc.
But at the end if the day, pay and get a receipt. I always get a receipt especially from the self service check out and if there's an issue I let a staff member know.

Then remember to take the dang receipt with you when you are finished checking out. You are creating problems when the solution is simple.

You are obviously behaving in a way that is arousing the suspicion of the security people. You need to think about this and modify your shopping behaviour accordingly. That would be my advice.