unpleasant incident with security guard

[rasputinsghost]

I would just like your opinions with respect to whether or not I was reasonable to e-mail a complaint regarding the incident below.

I was shopping with my adult son at our local large supermarket, in the late afternoon in the middle of the week. We chose items worth just under five pounds, and I paid for these at the self-service checkout, using the contactless app. on my debit card. I declined a receipt and I do not have a banking app. on my phone.

After purchasing the goods, I handed them to my son and went to the loo. When I came out of the loo, I found my son in conversation with the security guard. The guard asked me if the shopping was mine. I said it was. He asked me if I had the receipt. I said I had declined the receipt. He asked my if I had any proof of purchase. I said that I did not have a banking app, but I waited until I heard 'payment confirmed' before I left the checkout. The guard replied that he has reason to believe we were attempting to leave the store without purchasing the goods.

I assured him that I had purchased the goods, and perhaps we could check the till roll at the checkout.

The guard then told us to come to his desk. We followed him. He looked at the CCTV footage and told us that not only did it confirm that we had not paid, but there was footage of me 'doing this hundreds of times'. He said he would call the police unless we paid for the goods, left the store and never returned because we were 'banned'.

I was getting a little upset, so my son suggested we paid for the goods again (even though we knew we had already paid). We did this, then showed the guard the receipt and I asked why he had said he had footage of me stealing 'hundreds of times'. He denied saying this. I asked if we were banned. He said no. I asked for his name and said I would lodge a complaint because he had handled this situation very unprofessionally.

When I got home, I checked my bank account. I had paid twice, so there is no way there would be any footage of me not paying. I have lodged a complaint online with the store.

I am just wondering if perhaps I have overreacted.

I've never take a receipt from self checkouts, but then I've never had a problem with security, I think its a small way of saving the planet with using less paper.

Thinking the same security guards are not in the business of falsely accusing random shoppers they have to have good reason to approach a person

The ship has sailed with regard to the always take a receipt advice, but nonetheless it is best advice for future.
I do have the banking app but if using self service I always take a paper receipt, and have it in my hand walking out the store.
I would complain though especially about the “hundreds of times comment”I wonder if there is a prolific offender that goes in and looks similar to you in some way which led to that?

I wouldn't have paid again, rather gone home, found the proof and returned to show the manager.

Always best to get a receipt.

you're completely missing the point.

Fine to say OP's son should have done something or she shouldn't have paid twice - I agree with both.
But that wouldn't have solved the overall issue in that this security guard clearly thinks this is an okay way to behave, so would have carried on in the same way probably to someone else who didn't have that support/confidence.

OP not paying twice but an elderly woman or someone with learning difficulties doing so instead because he does exactly the same thing tomorrow isn't a "win."

"I'm alright Jack" isn't the best way to run a society.

At least with OP having made a complaint this might lead to some training or whatever.

Whenever I use a self service check out, I always take the receipt as that is my only way of proving I have paid for the goods I am taking out of the store. In our local Sainsbury’s store in order to get out of the self service area you have to actually use your receipt to open the security gate.

Hmm, I've had this happen to me a couple of times. Not in the supermarket but in the pub - there's a particular bar where they ring the order up first and put the card reader on the bar for you to swipe while they go off and pour the drinks. And once or twice I have swiped, but been distracted by picking up my drink and not checked that the transaction had gone through - only to have the bar tender come after me and ask me to pay again. Both times I felt I had no choice but to take them at their word, and so I paid "again". But I do have the banking app on my phone so I was able to check (later) that only one payment had gone through.

I think the moral of the story is (a) to always check that the transaction has gone through, and (b) remember that you don't have to prove your innocence, let them prove you guilty ... ie, you should have demanded to see the CCTV footage.

So, yes, go and see the manager, demand an apology and a refund ... and then forget about it and move on with your life.

Actually, now I think about this a bit more, there's another couple of points to make - maybe not directly helpful to the op, but for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation in the future.

1. If you really hadn't paid then the till would still be showing the unpaid transaction - I'm pretty sure there's no way to to free the till up without paying. So you could have said "let's go back and look at the till then".
2. Remember that a security guard isn't a policeman, and has no authority to detain you. You can simply say "I am leaving now" and walk away; they can't detain you and if they touch you then that's assault. (You might want to get your phone out and video everything).

My DH and I discussed this recently. He never takes a receipt and I always do. He says because they’ve made it optional to take a receipt, if the store wants to see proof of purchase before you leave, the onus is on them. They will have to go check their records / toll roll / whatever. And I see his point. It’s not unreasonable to expect the store to have some kind of process around this. The security was unprofessional if he lied, I’d definitely follow up with a formal complaint

Had you left the store? Because firstly, the alarm would have gone off if you had and secondly, it's not theft u til you've actively left the store. Hence the alarms at the doors.

I would suggest investigating who his security company is and complaining to them and the authority for security guards.
I would also go back to the store and ask to speak to a manager, online forms very rarely get a response.

Absolutely. I work in a supermarket. Security let the big guys who steal lots walk out and harass a young kid that’s pinched some haribos.

You don't need to take a receipt - unless you maybe want to return something later as it makes things easier.

Even in the local convenience store our tills record every transaction - you just ask for the till to be checked, and your transaction will be there.

Why did the security guard confront him in the shop? Surely you are only stealing the goods once you have left the building so he would not have had a reason to question him?
Also can't believe you paid again!

You definitely didn't overreact, some people who are given a uniform, believe they have powers, which enable them to do what they like. You should have asked to speak with the store manager. Only the police can ask for the cctv of the incident, so l would contact them. This security guard has made you out to be a thief, which ofcourse you are not. You are doing the right thing, it does need looking into. I always get a receipt, for exactly this issue.

He's the criminal, not you.

I genuinely didn't know that. Thank you

You can easily check the wallet on your phone to see the transactions, you don’t need a banking app

Only if you paid using the wallet on your phone! The OP didn't, she just used her debit card on contactless.

Alarms don't go off for everything!

It's only tags/security seals that set off alarms. Op specified the items were "just under £5" - items that cheap aren't going to have tags on,

How do you think people manage to ever steal stuff if you thought every single item set off the alarms? Did you think scanning the barcode magically tells the security barrier you've paid for it?

Store staff definitely have the ability to view the history on the tills. We accidentally left some cashback on a till in Asda and went back. The guy on the self-scanning tills had the cash but wanted to verify we were the right person. I hadn't taken a receipt (always do now!) but he was able to cross check the contents of our shopping bag to the items on screen.

I would contact Head Office, send them a copy of your receipt and your bank statement showing both transactions and complain about the way the security guard made you feel with his ridiculous suggestion that you're a regular shoplifter. They'll likely send you a voucher to replace the amount you over paid and possibly more as a gesture of goodwill.

Round here the shoplifters are literally walking in, taking £1,000 worth of booze off the shelves and walking out. A security guard will walk vaguely towards them and on receipt of one threatening look will step aside and let them walk out!

It’s more hassle but OP can prove her case by showing the transactions on her bank statement

No he should've checked to see if you paid. Always get a receipt. Go back & show him you paid twice. Plus i would want to see this supposed footage he has. Just get a receipt in future, so many people shoplifting now, they have to be vigilant.

This is why when I do self scan or check out no matter how small a value I always get the receipt, coz you never know if you will get stopped especially if you dont have your purchases in a bag

The supermarket can very easily log in to those tills to see what was paid for at what time.

I would have called a manager and got them to do so surely the security guard would have known that was an option.

I rarely take a receipt! Why should you waste paper when it's recorded on the till roll and CCTV on every angle?

Because it would have avoided the OP getting into this situation. Also, having a receipt makes it very much easier if you need to return something to the shop. I find it very irritating when tills and cashiers don’t automatically give you a receipt nowadays.