Assaulted by Tesco store security

Tesco_Hater

Shopped at Tesco for what I thought would be a small shop tonight but I ended up cramming far too much into a basket. Checkout, queue, pay, bag, leave. Walking reasonably fast as my two bags were heavy. Store alarm went off as I was leaving, but there's nothing unusual in that with so many people in and out.

Half way across the car park, am asked if I'd bought any electrical items. Nope (as it turns out, I'd bought a razor but that didn't ping with me as 'electrical' at the time). Not fussed so carried on walking to car. Next thing is a black security guard forcibly grabs hold of me. Good job the other guy had already said something or I could quite easily have been minded to deck him not knowing who he was.

Between them they they then proceeded to try and drag me about the car park and take my shopping bags from me. Was seriously unimpressed with effectively being assaulted and their attempted theft of my shopping! Having been so violated by their attitude, on principle I was not going to cooperate with them any further so pointedly refused their request to violate my privacy by searching my bags. Continual requests for their ID provided only a security company card so I still have no idea if they did really work for Tesco. I requested that they get the store manager out but she didn't turn up. In any case I had left the store so it was no longer their pigeon really.

Then a THIRD security guard turned up, until one of them pointed out there was no longer anyone minding the store! Talk about thick, but I suppose they don't employ security guards for their brains. Eventually the black guy disappeared and the first guy was much more amenable so I showed him my receipt, proved my innocence (not that I should have had to) and we departed ways.

Am still seriously unhappy a couple of hours later. Was I actually assaulted? I certainly feel like I was as I have never been so treated in the past. I'm still reeling from being acused of theft for their mistake of not removing a security tag, but more so on their heavy-handedness. What if I had been an older woman rather than a (relatively) young man that could stand up to these thugs. Or is it perfectly reasonable for a security guard start dragging me across the car park? What rights do the general public and store security thugs have in these situations?

Apart from having battered shopping it's ruined my night and am wondering whether to put a formal complaint into Tesco. Will it do any good, or will it get filed in the bin? If it wasn't my nearest shop I'd avoid the place on principle but Tesco have such a monopoly I have not choice.

:mad:

Browntoa

sounds similar to this thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2241841

Browntoa

and this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2144589&highlight=tesco

DX2

I don't see what the need is to state that the security guard is black?

neilmcl

Browntoa wrote: »

and this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2144589&highlight=tesco

Exactly what I was thinking.

Browntoa

always seems to be the same theme in each thread....maybe I'm wrong

Dreamnine

Exactly... he was black, so what...?

mountainofdebt

Gawd I thought I was having a matrix moment then .....

McKneff

Give over, i think you are going a bit over the top.

Just get on with it, if your innocent just keep going there and do your shopping with your head held high.

They must have had some reason for asking you a question. Obviously they were wrong.

You must also exaimine your reactions to them, that could have had a lot to do with it being escalated.
You said yourself you werent going to cooperate, dont you think that would also give them the impression that
you were trying to hide something.

Or are you just trolling.

Tesco_Hater

He was black. The other guy was white. The third guy disappeared fairly quickly. I was simply distinguishing them in my mind, as much as if one was a woman (and then maybe not a thug) I'd remember that.

The black guy was intimidating to me with his heavy handedness. The other was much more reasonable until the black guy grabbed me.

Tesco_Hater

McKneff that's a good point, and has cheered me up no end - at the end of the day I was innocent and can carry on my with my head held high.

I wasn't keen to have them violate my privacy to begin with but I only refused to cooperate AFTER the guy had grabbed and assaulted me. Seemed reasonable to give as good as I got by that point!