Shoplifting - or not....??

superscaper

DX-SFX wrote: »

also shows you're not trying to leave quickly after pinching something.

I could do with the exercise to be honest, a good chase by a "security guard". Nothing illegal in that.

Lavendyr

chequeout wrote: »

Security and manager looked through my bag, accepted it was a mistake and gave a half-hearted apology and basically said this happens all the time!

Which it does. It's probably happened to everyone who's posted here above. It's certainly happened to me more than once. It's just one of those things.

chequeout wrote: »

I was seriously embarrassed and angry. In my opinion the assistant wasn't doing her job properly by leaving the security tag on, leading to potential damage to my reputation if anyone passing thought I was a shoplifter!

Why on earth would anyone who knew you leap to that conclusion just because you set off the alarm as you walked out of a store? I have worked in a large retailer and I can promise you that if someone walking out of the store set off the alarm, the first assumption would be that their tag hadn't been deactivated properly, not that they were a thief. Some products used to get double-tagged and it was easy to miss one, because they were so small.

Of course, we would always ask them to stop and check their products for tags, but if someone does stop, nine times out of ten they are an honest customer, not a thief. Often enough, the alarms would have been set off by a purchase from another store altogether, and we were not allowed to deactivate tags on items purchased from other stores, even if we could do so with our systems.

In short, I think you are being a little unfair on the store you visited (although I take your point that they could have been more polite with you), but honestly - I can't believe anyone would want to 'take further' such an event in any way. There are more serious things in life to worry about.

love-hearts

TK Maxx left half of a tag in a shirt my OH had purchased, I laughed my head off at his pathetic screams when he went to wear the shirt and it jabbed him in the neck, men are bloody wimps :rotfl:

missymugwump

May I suggest you write a polite but firmly worded letter to head office,most receipts now give the servers name,name & shame them

De tagging stock at point of purchase is a basic element in the sales process,this shows poor supervision/training of staff

The letter will be relayed down the chain to the branch manager and they will get asked to have a word with that staff member

It does not turn back the clock but it may save someone else suffering it

As I have worked in retail all my life I make a point of checking that the tags are off before I let them bag my items,I always ask are there any tags ? have you removed all of them ?
Shame you have to do the job for them

Im sorry you had the experience I have had to do it to people in the past and it sucks

missymugwump

Lavendyr

Isnt that the whole point

Which it does. It's probably happened to everyone who's posted here above. It's certainly happened to me more than once. It's just one of those things.

This is a basic in the sales process the fact that it happens to everyone is a disgrace.
Maybe you are more confident than some this can be traumatic to some people don't belittle the experience as it will be different for everyone.

Lavendyr

missymugwump wrote: »

Lavendyr

This is a basic in the sales process the fact that it happens to everyone is a disgrace.
Maybe you are more confident than some this can be traumatic to some people don't belittle the experience as it will be different for everyone.

I don't mean to belittle anyone in any way. Honestly though, there are so many worse things that happen every day that I don't see the benefit in allowing oneself to get upset because of something so small.

Nor can I see how it could be 'traumatic', and I certainly can't see any benefit in 'taking it further', as the OP suggested. There are a great deal of traumatic things that can happen in life, but I personally don't count 'unintentionally setting alarm off as exiting retail store' as one of them, I'm afraid. I am willing to accept that my attitude towards life isn't shared by everyone, however.

As to the situation being a disgrace, I certainly agree that it would be better if staff did always correctly deactivate security tags, and I am sure that the majority of retailers would aim for this as well. However, I also accept that mistakes happen, that such mistakes are not directed at me and that it's not something to take personally or to get upset about.

scotsbob

chequeout wrote: »

Ok - fair enough - I'm obviously stupid and will go away, hang head in shame and never post on here again.

Came across this thread accidentally and am surprised at the unsympathetic replies you have had.

The security guard was bluffing you. You were invited back to the premises and agree to go. He asked to search you and you agreed.

If I understand you correctly you voluntarily agreed, therefore have little grounds for complaint

Next time refuse to return to the store, then the security person has to make a choice.
If that choice is to arrest you and he gets it wrong you will get a lot more than a verbal apology.

Pollycat

scotsbob wrote: »

Came across this thread accidentally and am surprised at the unsympathetic replies you have had.

The security guard was bluffing you. You were invited back to the premises and agree to go. He asked to search you and you agreed.

If I understand you correctly you voluntarily agreed, therefore have little grounds for complaint

Next time refuse to return to the store, then the security person has to make a choice.
If that choice is to arrest you and he gets it wrong you will get a lot more than a verbal apology.

I can't see where the OP said the security guard invited her to go back to the store.

chequeout wrote: »

Hi all

Apologies if this isn't as important as some of the other threads on here, but i'd like some advice all the same if that's ok...?

I recently bought some clothes from a well-known high street store, paid and left. HOWEVER, dippy assistant hadn't removed a security tag leaving the alarms to go off, security to come after me etc. People in the crowded street (near where my work is based and potential clients could have seen) were all doing that "gawping" thing as we all do... Basically, I was mortified.

Security and manager looked through my bag, accepted it was a mistake and gave a half-hearted apology and basically said this happens all the time! I was seriously embarrassed and angry. In my opinion the assistant wasn't doing her job properly by leaving the security tag on, leading to potential damage to my reputation if anyone passing thought I was a shoplifter!

Again, apologies as I know this isn't as serious as other threads - but if anyone has any thoughts or advice on if I should take this further I would much appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Chequeout
I don't gawp when someone sets off the alarm when leaving a shop.
I don't assume that the person has been caught shoplifting.

After your experience, maybe you'll think twice before 'doing that gawping thing'. :rolleyes:

scotsbob

Pollycat wrote: »

I can't see where the OP said the security guard invited her to go back to the store.

Neither do I see where the OP said he arrested her.

It was one or the other. Either she went voluntarily at his invitation or suggestion, or she was arrested.

So I read what the OP has written and used my common sense to work out she wasn't arrested.

Therefore she went voluntarily. That was her mistake.

custardy

i recently saw some little kid(well teenager) getting dragged back into HMV
all his mates followed behind
guards searched him and found nothing
he left and the alarms went off again
got nabbed again,all his mates in stiches
turns out they removed the security thing off a CD and stuck it under his hood :rotfl: