Fed up of being followed by security because I have a pram

[Dish19]

Is it just me that gets this? I’m noticing it more and more. Today in Sainsbury’s whilst perusing the baby food and trying to find a certain brand of baby porridge, a security guard came and stood next to me for a good 5 minutes.

I used to work in supermarkets as a student and I know it’s a tactic that is used for suspected shoplifters. Yes I have a pushchair, but I have no intention of stealing and I have plenty of money. It makes me feel so uncomfortable. AIBU?

I can't say this has ever happened to me.

I must have an innocent face.

This has never happened to me either; and I’ve been using a pram for four years.

Are you sure it’s the pram that’s attracting their attention? They must get far too many people with prams to follow them all…

Are you sure? It’s a bid odd and wouldn’t the buzzer go off if you steal

and are they expecting you to then run away from the guard with your pram

are you sure it wasn’t them wanting to check you were ok and whether you needed anything

not doubting you but can’t see you would be prime target

I’ve never had this and I’m in SW London. I even use the basket under my buggy as a shopping basket and chuck all my things under there🫣 2 year old in the pram, 3 year old walking recklessly whilst holding my hand, I have no spare hand for a basket!

The buzzer will only go off for tagged items. And even in that situation the most a supermarket security guard can do is request the item to be returned. They have no right to search or stop people, and police won't attend unless it's accompanied by another crime like assault.
Standing by people is the most effective deterrent as knowing they are being watched will deter most shoplifters.

Were you using the pram as a basket for your items? This has never happened to me...

Are you young? When I was about 18, I used to look after my baby nephew most Saturdays. Sometimes we'd go into town and I'd notice that security guards seemed to follow us in certain shops, even though I wasn't ever stealing anything. I assumed it was just a bias against young mothers (even though he wasn't mine!).

My friend who works in a supermarket told me they do it if someone is looking too long at a shelf. I find they follow me if I have a big coat.

Yeah that's weird, I've always got my pram with me and never been followed

I've had this happen loads of times OP, but thinking about it, definitely a lot more when I was younger than now. I became a mother in my mid-twenties and am now early 30s. I also had a few security guards telling me abruptly not to put shopping in the bottom of the pram or in a bag hanging off the pram as I was going round. Which I always ignored or asked where else I was supposed to put it given that I couldn't physically carry a basket at the same time. But actually nothing like that has happened in the last couple of years so I'm inclined to believe my age is a factor as per PP?

This never happens to me and I load the bottom of my pram like a basket as I go.

Funnily enough I had this happen to me in Boots for the first time time. I'm in my 30s but perhaps I have a mischievous face I did find it quite annoying as I could tell the security guy was following me. He was probably quite disappointed I only went in there for some witch hazel..

I'm with you totally. I am an old mum- early 40s. I don't look young. I have a 1 year old and I am profiled all the time. I sometimes wear a big long puffy coat but not always. my clothes, bag and pram are not cheap, but it makes no difference. I guess they assume I make my money from a successful shoplifting career.

Happens to me without a pram. Hate the "well this never happens to ME" lot. Ok thanks 👍🏻.

Often I think they pick an easy mark so they can be "too busy" to deal with the more difficult characters.

This happened to DH every single time he went shopping with the baby. It used to drive him mad! I don’t think it ever happened to me. They must just have a mental image of what a shoplifter looks like and unfortunately you’re it!

I’m not that young, I’m 35 (ok so not young at all) and I never use the pram basket as I go round either! I get it loads in Boots too. I probably do spend too long looking at the shelves as I have a fussy baby.

My DH is looking after DS a bit more in the next month so I’ll have to find out if it happens to him.

Do you look a bit scruffy/disheveled? Maybe they are judging you on clothing

I have four under six. This has definitely never happened to me.

Never had this either, even when i enter with no basket and just put things directly into the bag on me(of course i pay!!)....never seen anyone being followed either in any of the sainsburys and tesco I've been to and i live in north london

No and I was going to add this to my OP but thought posters would jump on it.

I don't understand the urge to say WELL THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO MEEEE in response to someone else's upsetting experience.

Maybe they've had a lot of formula thefts from that store or similar and security have been asked to be vigilant around it. They are just doing their jobs so just ignore it and carry on. I'd bloody hate to be a security guard I kind of feel bad for them.

This used to happen to me when I was a young mum, especially in Boots. I used to walk over to the sanitary towels and have a good browse, that would sometimes put them off. Funnily enough it would never happen when DH was with me. I had PND and it took a lot for me to get myself out of the house, being followed (especially by a big man) made me feel vulnerable and shitty.

Over a decade later I have a baby in a pram again and don't get followed about. I still avoid boots if I can help it because of the way I was treated during that time of my life.

They're following the DC, not the pram.

Ds lifted a stuffed dolphin from the London Aquarium, a very nice lamp from John Lewis and a set of screwdrivers from BandQ to name just three walks of shame back to the shops.