What would you do?

[Nonameusername]

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Myself and 2 family members, were stop searched during the weekend in a very public place in my home city.
the scene: They waited for us to come out of a shop - 5 police cars, loads of police officers around the male and basically looked like a big crime scene. Stopped us and searched us - took coats & hats off etc, checked underwear bands and inspected our pram. We were searched because I was a match of a description of someone that had stolen from a store we had been to earlier that day. I was led to believe the store had identified me on CCTV but later found that it was the police that did the match from the store’s description on the authority camera outside. I am in a professional role working with families and young children and I was searched with massive police presence in the middle of a city centre. Everyone was watching and videos made their way around on social media. Leading to unwanted attention.
They of course didn’t find anything and I later found out when I returned to the store to find out what had happened that they hadn’t identified me and were mortified as of course they knew it wasn’t me. The store worker showed me the description they gave to the police (I have this) and I found out that the person they were looking for had pom poms on their hat (I didn’t) wearing glasses (I don’t) and had coloured trainers (I was wearing plain trainers). I don’t understand how the police had come to the conclusion that I was fitting the person description. Everyone were wearing hats on this day it was so cold! The thief was also alone and I was with my family. I am going to write a complaint. But wondering what would you do? I hate to think what could’ve happened if one of the families I work with had passed that day but they have heard and have questioned me about the event which was just embarassing!

X I don’t consent to this going on social media or any wider media platform X

You've already published this on social media.

And MN owns the post now so can choose to publish wherever they want.

I’m sorry this happened to you and upset you so much. I can see how it could feel quite shocking if you have never been in that situation before. I’m not sure, though, that making a complaint would bring you any kind of satisfaction*. It doesn’t sound, from your description, as though the police have acted outside their powers.

Police don’t need a positive ID to stop and search and it would generally be impractical to get that kind of confirmation in a situation where a criminal was just making off from a crime scene. Assuming you matched, at a very basic level, the description given - things like sex, skin colour, rough age or build - they had grounds to search you. Things like clothing and who you are with are easily changed and well practiced shoplifters will make use of that level of “disguise” to try and throw people off the scent, so you having a different hat etc. doesn’t rule you out. If you weren’t asked to remove anything other than outer clothing (coat, hat, etc.) then doing the search in the street is not considered inappropriate.

I know you feel embarrassed, and I don’t doubt that people stopped and stared. But they would also have seen you let go. The police probably stopped more women too and some people watching will have seen that happen too. People talk, but they don’t necessarily think the worst, most people just like something a bit different to liven up their nattering. Most stop and searches that the police make are of innocent people. You may (or may not) disagree with the police having the powers they do but the best way to handle it with anyone who asks is just to say something along the lines of “Apparently I looked a bit like someone they were searching for, but they soon realised they were wrong.” Which is factual, dials down the drama and makes it clear you were innocent and the police were mistaken.

(*Given the social media videos, you could try a complaint about a lack of consideration for your privacy and ask that they make more of an effort to screen from the rest of the public.)

That's really shit of them. I'd be telling them I wasn't happy and pointing out all the ways I didn't fit the description but realistically nothing much will come of it.

Just an FYI though - the I don't consent etc etc bit- it's got no power. You don't need to give consent. It won't stop anyone sharing it if they want to and there's nothing you can do about it I'm afraid.

I agree with @NumberTheory. The three things you mention are nowhere near enough to conclude that you don't match the description. I doubt you will get anywhere with a complaint.

I agree your experience sounds very humiliating. I don’t know what the solution is unfortunately.

I’m shocked that all those officers were deployed to arrest a suspected shoplifter tbh and the cost of that operation must have run into
thousands of pounds!

It must have been a very expensive theft!

It used to be that most theft from retail was by staff and shoplifting was opportunistic and relatively low level but in recent times that balance has been challenged by shoplifting becoming an organized crime staple. It’s far more significant, from a cost of goods perspective, than domestic burglary. So it’s not unreasonable for the police to have a robust response to reported incidents when they can nor to develop operations to try and curb it.