I was asked to leave B&Q, mortified

[chickenandapples]

I was approached by a member of staff who said that he just reviewed footage that 3 months ago, I was recorded not scanning an item at the self checkout and they believed it was intentional and just asked me (quite nicely and compassionately I might add) to leave.

Whoopsie! 😬

I note that they have no scales at B&Q self service which makes accidents easy.

I don't know why it's so common here to think a thread's made up or OPs trolling just because someone had a different perspective to you or even the majority

So should I now report you for calling me a cunt?

What are you talking about?

So breathtakingly dishonest. I wasn't going to report you but now I have. Well done.

What did you do ?

I responded to the OP's totes unboasty claim to earn £81,000. Better not repeat the precise words since it's been deleted but the delightful Neptunechichester said she was reporting me for being a cunt. I said "should I now report you for calling me a cunt?". They then edited the post to remove the reference to a 'cunt' and came over all 'what are you talking about?'

Hmm @Butchyrestingface this forum can be so toxic

You know you can view a post's edit history, right?

@PistachioTiramisu

You seem to be missing the point that this was an accident. The OP doesn't think it's okay to steal, she unintentionally forgot to scan something.

As others have said, legally, theft/stealing requires dishonest intent - so a genuine accident isn't theft.

Last year I watched my son pick up a copy of the Telegraph and walk out of the co-op without paying. He thought newspapers were free. Gen z...the generation that's never bought a paper.

Op you sound funny.

I think they want OP to be remorseful even though it was an accident

No it's not. There's no mens rea.

I thought you were mortified. Are you full of shit by any chance?

@ThatFairy

Yes, that's possible. I just think some of the comments are too judgemental, more or less telling the OP they're a criminal. It is possible for genuine mistakes to happen, for distracted people to unintentionally leave without paying for an item.

I just wish more people understood that an accident doesn't equal stealing.

Do NOT just quietly accept any of these things without proof. They’re using a system called FaceWatch and it’s already targeted innocent people. Some poor guy in this article was targeted by B&Q:
www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/03/guilty-until-proven-innocent-shoppers-falsely-identified-by-facial-recognition-struggle-to-clear-their-name

Facial recognition tech I imagine

I’m genuinely concerned about the amount of comments on this thread that would just accept being permanently banned from a store without legal redress and assume OP is “guilty.” You’re giving up your rights and when they’re gone, they don’t “come back.” So what happens when grocery stores “band together” using FaceWatch, and an innocent person is suddenly asked to leave every place they can buy food? This system makes that possible. I feel like women who don’t know they can be targeted like this are behind on technology and probably don’t know about things like Janitor AI that their children (teen boys in particular) may be addicted to.

B&Q usesFacewatch @NotThoseKindOfEggs The Guardian article I shared lists other businesses that use it. I personally would love an organized boycott.

Are you joking @PerryMenopaws

I think it's possible to be both mortified you've accidentally stolen something, and then be a bit naturally defensive about being banned from B&Q, especially as it's not somewhere you go all the time. My local supermarket would be a real problem!

It does raise an interesting point about the transferal of responsibility that self service tills have caused. In the past the cashier did get it wrong sometimes, but you were unlikely to have your bag checked and it would generally go unnoticed with no real consequences. And those genuine mistakes do happen. I've queried bills in both directions before! But now if we are in a world where every checkout is being filmed and checked; well everyone will make a genuine mistake once in a while on a till. The scales will catch only some of it, if they exist. And a ban feels disproportionate and creepy. I'm obviously not talking about genuine shoplifting here.

Mumsnet is particularly full of users waiting for an excuse to rage

How does it work? Do they sit and watch footage all day, hoping to nab someone when they wonder into the store? Or have they got a rogues gallery?

You've probably been added to a DIY most wanted poster