Who knows whether a security is allowed to look in your bag without the police being present????

[KBear]

I am LIVID, FUMING, EFFING ANGRIER THAN IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE......

I was just in Peacocks buying a pair of swimming trunks for DS - three quid.

The security guard followed me and my mum and my two children around the store as soon as we walked in and I mean RIGHT behind us.

I was in there about twenty minutes while DD was clopping around in flip flops and and looking around generally. I paid and then went to leave the shop. The security stood in my way and asked to see my goods and my receipt. I was a bit put out but showed him. He then asked to look in my handbag (quite big summery bag). I refused and said on what grounds. He insisted it was his right.

Well, as you can imagine I was OUTRAGED and told him so. The manager came over and sent him away and said that he was within his rights to search my bag.

I said if you think I've stolen something call the police. She knew that I hadn't which is why she sent the security guard away.

To cut a long stressed out story short I left the shop. Promptly turned around, went back in and asked for a refund on the shorts as "it would choke me to see my son wearing them". Got my refund and left.

Chestpains, stress and angry tears later I am now sharing it with you lot to calm myself down.

I won't be going back there (such a convenient little shop through for kids bits and pieces like swimming stuff and cheap stuff for holidays that you don't mind getting ruined with sun cream!).

I shall be taking my business elsewhere (all three quid of it!) ha ha.

Hopefully not to annoy you, but, I managed to leave my local peacocks store trailing a little girls skirt from DS's pram. Only noticed just down the road when it fell off and I ran over it! Took me a little while to realise where it came from!

Agree that he sounds like an arrogant twit and you should complain. Sorry you were so upset.

Ah, the old hanging on the buggy trick! you're probably the reason they've stepped up security at Peacocks ha ha!

I used to work at one of the venues where the G8 conference was held in 1998. A patron refused to have his bag searched and all that could be done was he was refused entry.

The venue also made sure there were always females on the entrance to search other females bags.

This security guard was way out of line imo.

Kbear, just to make you feel even worse... I picked up a hoody for DS in the sales in Gap, hung it on my buggy handle, paid, left, got halfway down Oxford St, realised said item was still on pram. Bid hulking Security Guard wasn't giving his money's worth IMO! Phoned policeman DP and he told me I had to go back and pay! kind of felt a bit like the prices they charge didn't really matter, but a PC's DP being arrested for theft isn't a good idea either really is it?

I thought that you have to actually leave the store before they can stop you though.

I thought so too - I'm trying to find out the facts here as I compose shirty letter to MD of Peacocks!!

The people that say that it wouldn't bother them crack me up - someone accuses you of stealing and you're not offended???

no... if they suspect you of shoplifting they can ask to see in your bag BEFORE you leave.
as someone else said they cannot open it themselves etc, but can ask you to empty your bag, or show them what is in it.

i personally would be offended, but not upset if i was suspected of shoplifting.

but i would be LIVID if they handled it in the way they did with you!

kbear... it's their job! perhaps you looked suspicious! inadvertandly obviously... but they really are just doing what they're paid to do.

i would be far more concerned about the way the security guard acted than the fact you were suspected of taking something

I'd definately write them a shirt letter. You'll get it out of your system and probably get some vouchers.

DH recently went out for the day with DD and she got soaked as her cup leaked. He went into Adams to buy her a pair of trousers to wear there and then. Paid for them and asked the clerk to remove the tags so she could wear them - then sat her on the counter and put them on her.

When they met me later I picked her up and was laughing as the trousers had pockerts (not sure why a 1 year old needs 5 pockets in her trousers!) and discovered two security tags in there which had been taken off something by a shoplifter and hidden in the pocket. DD had scratches on her leg from the pins which were pretty spiky.

DH was furious and stormed into Adams and had words. They just sent us £50 worth of vouchers and a letter of apology. So you never know they might give you something and you might feela bit better.

Sounds to me like the guy was a total prat.

Emma x

I know it's their job but I can't understand how holding up a pair of swimming trunks for a 3 year old then mooching around the soft furnishings can be considered suspicious behaviour. That's what you do in shops. I know they have to be suspicious of everyone but there are ways of dealing with it.

If he had said to me, I believe you have a item of swimwear you haven't paid for or a pair of children's shoes or whatever. He just kept saying "it is my right to look in your bag".

And I was upset - not boo hoo feel sorry for me tears, just tears of rage that they can show you up like that in a shop full of customers, in front your children and you can't do a damn thing about it.

kbear agree... it was the way in which it was handled that was completely out of order.

I'd have been embarrassed and humiliated too .... especially with the arrogance of the security guard. Why it was beyond him to be polite and to explain why he felt it necessary to look in your bag goodness knows !

Make sure you write that letter pronto and ensure you emphasise how upset you were by the experience, how you hadn't behaved suspiciously, how your children had to witness your distress etc. Tell them in no uncertain terms that if they do not offer you an unconditional apology and compensation for this highly unpleasant experience within the next 7 days, you will be contacting the local paper to tell them all about it instead (they love stories like this).

I used to do a job where I had to regularly impart unwelcome news and/or ask for personal information which may have seemed invasive, but there are ways and ways of doing things and people are usually far more co-operative and understanding when you treat them with a little respect.

Paradoxically, I went to see U2 at Twickenham last week and being "good" went through the "bag search" line, only to be waved through without so much as a glimpse. I could have had anything in there !

Good Luck !

My letter to MD of the company is in the post (I don't hang about when enraged!) and cc'd to their customer services online. I included all your points Catsmother except actually asking for compensation as such. I just asked for a reply asap. I want an apology although vouchers would be lovely .

I did make the point that if acting suspiciously is browsing round a shop then they need lots more security guards because there are hundreds of us doing that every day. Also the manager of the shop said to me that often shoplifters make a small purchase and then steal something else. So you can't just nip in a buy a hat or a bag or a pair or flip-flops you have to kit out the whole family or you're in trouble .

I'll keep you posted if/when I get a reply! And thanks for your posts everyone.

Kbear, just point them to this thread if they flannel around the issue. IME, they hate the thought of bad publicity!

Got a reply from customer services at 3pm today! They apologised for the way I was treated and are investigating and will get back to me.

I've been followed a few times by security men in stores and I always turn round and say "Are you following me?"

They usually look really embarrassed and go away pronto but if they don't I say "Why don't you go and follow some shoplifters?"

I'm going to in future but to be honest after the initial bit of stalking I was preoccupied with what I went in for and didn't realise I was being watched. My mum stood with the buggy at the end of aisle I was in because there was no room for the buggy so he probably thought she was my cover!

The security in Next and M&S and John Lewis don't treat you like that and their goods are far more expensive than Peacocks for gawd's sake!
I shop at Bluewater all the time and have never felt like the security there were too close for comfort. Obviously got an amateur that thought he was in the Sweeney.

I didn't think they were allowed to in this country.

In australia they can, and do so frequently.