Wrongly Stopped for shop lifting

mattalex2008

NOt sure if that is quite the right title, but didn't know what else to put!
Yesterday i went into town, with my 6 year old and 3 1/2 year old (he was in buggy as a very long walk).
Anyway went into the £1 shop where they both had a pack of 2 car fire engines. I put the other bits in my bag, but the boys wanted to carry their cars.
A bit later after many shops, they asked for a look in the entertainer, which we did, looked round and left. Just round the corner i heard a very loud excuse me, followed by another, by then i turned round to see what was going on. An entertainer member of staff was behind us (quite a way away) and said in a rather loud voice "WOULD YOU ACTUALLY LIKE TO PAY FOR THAT?" i looked at her very blankly for a few seconds, so she pointed at the cars in my older sons hand. By now we had quite a few gawpers, and i was mortified, but i very calmly replied " i have thank you, i bought them from the £1 shop, would you like to see the receipt? my other son has one too" and turned the buggy round so she could see him/them. To which she mumbled "no thank you, i'm very sorry" and walked back to the shop. So she hadn't even seen the younger one had some.
Now the more i think of it the angrier i get. Ok i was a bit stupid in letting them carry them in there, but didn't really think they'd sell the same toys as the £1shop (if they do) but i have worked in retail for 18 years, only leaving when expecting my second son, and it was drummed into us, that by law we could only approach someone we had actually SEEN TAKE something off the shelves with our own eyes (or camera, but we didn't have those). And as they had them when they walked in, she hadn't. I will also add they hadn't even touched anything, was quite busy in there so was a very quick look, as i struggled getting buggy round.
I have found these which seem to back that up.
https://www.Rockinjoe.hubpages.com/hub/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-shoplifting
and
http://www.expertlaw.com/library/security/shoplifting.html

Now i'm not after compensation or anything, but i would like to write a letter to the manager or head office, IF, i'm right, saying that perhaps their staff need re-training. More for their benefit, than anything, as i was always told they could sue if we approached them and they hadn't stole anything. (no i wouldn't before you ask)
Can anyone help on this?
Thank you.

fluffnutter

OK. Staff member in shop No.2 mistakenly thought you'd not paid for something and challenged you. Once you'd explained that the items had been bought in shop No.1 she apologised.

End of story, surely. Am I missing something?

Sometimes when we keep thinking about stuff, we wind ourselves up and become even more indignant. Events assume an importance that they simply don't have. Best to just not think about them.

verityboo

If they genuinely thought your son had taken the car (perhaps he had picked and and put down various other things whilst in the store) then they were right to stop you.

The fact that they stopped you, allowed you to confirm what had happened, apologized and allowed you on you way, it sounds like they handled it quite well. Personally I would be happy to be stopped walking out of any shop. The more they do about shoplifting the better - the costs of shoplifting have to be passed on to those that do pay

visidigi

to be honest, you went into a toy store, with two kids carrying toys in the packaging...

Its not surprising you got stopped - especially with the amounts of high street theft going on nowadays...

Noctu

I don't think the OP is complaining about being stopped, more the fact that the staff member announced in a loud voice that she suspected her of shoplifting to the entire shop! How mortifying!

If she had been stopped quietly (but firmly) and received an apology after it was cleared up then I don't think there would be a problem...

Forwandert

By the sounds of it SCONE wasn't followed in the slightest. This is something hardly anybody in retail seemed to be trained in these days. If they where this wouldn't have happened.

mattalex2008

That is not what the thread is about. I do know about shop lifting. As i said i've worked in retail for 18 years, i've been threatened with a knife for trying to stop a real Shoplifter, i've seen people use their kids to get away with it, I've seen them do things that would make you cringe, just to get away with it, believe me i would like all shop lifting stopped, but i'm on about the law!! It is there to protect retailers too!
I've already said i was stupid for letting the boys take the cars in, and i've already said they didn't take/pick anything up as it was so busy, i'm also (because of seeing the mess/damage kids can do to toys packaging when not watched) a mum that doesn't let their children pick up or play with a toy till i say they can (i also tidy as i go, and pick clothes up off the floor and put back in size order, if i'm stood waiting for other people) lol, it's instilled in me now!
As i said, i was always told it was against the law if you hadn't seen said person pick up and take said goods, She didn't.
Now i'm not the sort of person to sue, because of first paragraph above, but if i was i've been told that i could.
I'm just asking if its right so they can be told of their mistake before it does happen.
After 18 years of working in a store, it is not until you are stopped, like i was, shouted at so every one can hear and get looked at, that you realise how degrading it is, and yes she was wrong, but how many of those people remember that. I'm known in town, so how long does it take for chinese whispers to turn it into "she was stopped for shop lifting" bit exteme, maybe, but that is why there are certain laws, if they broke them then surely they should be told to be more careful, i'd rather that than be sue'd. Wouldn't you?

verityboo

Noctu wrote: »

If she had been stopped quietly (but firmly) and received an apology after it was cleared up then I don't think there would be a problem...

Not sure how in the real world you try and stop a shoplifter quietly, especially considering most would not want to stop. Also, the op did receive an apology.

mattalex2008

It's quite easy, when you have a shoplifter, you have someone stood by the door, so they have chance TO pay, if they pass through the door, you step up to them (not touching as you are not allowed) and just calmly say excuse me and whatever you wish to say. at this point most shoplifters take off, or dump stuff then take off, where as i would have replied with the same reply i gave, nobody would of heard her shouting after me!
That is, when you follow the law as it was told to me while working.
Otherwise they could just stop everyone willy nilly.

lammy82

There is absolutely no law against a shopkeeper asking you whether you have paid for your goods, whether they have seen you picking things up or not. They can ask you to stop and talk to them, or explain yourself, but of course you don't have to obey them.

If they want to detain the customer (using some amount of force if necessary, i.e. physically preventing them from leaving) - whilst the police are called - then they would have to have reasonable grounds for suspicion of shoplifting.

DCFC79

OP you were asked about the item and you answered you had the receipt so why not let it go.