Tesco Shoplifting - need help.

whiteswan

Hi

Need a bit of advice.

Went in to my local Tesco this morning to purchase some magazines, look at sound bars and also look at some clothing.

Got my magazines........went onto look at soundbars but none with HDMI inputs on them - heading over to the clothing and I felt light headed (I am on Lyrica as I suffer from Fibromyalgia and had taken that mornings tablet without food - a big no no ) - so I headed to the cafe - purchased a breakfast - paid and ate it - went to loo and then left the store whilst pre occupied on my mobile phone with a matter at work........

At this point a Security Guard tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to step back inside the store - I was a bit dumb founded but agreed - within 5 seconds I realised I had not paid for the magazines ! I said this to the guard and said I will go and pay for them and apologised........he said I should follow him (to a checkout I thought)......it became apparent he was walking me off the shop floor - I protested but he said I was under arrest and that I HAD to follow him.........so I did - after all it was an honest mistake.

Going to cut a very long story short - but they refused to let me pay and be on my way - had to wait over an hour for Police to attend - when the officer did attend they tried to tell him that I rolled up the magazines and tried to conceal them in my coat proving intent to steal. I politely requested the officer view the cctv there and then to prove that was not the case.......it proved my version of events truthful.

They then went on to ask why I got the magazines and then went upstairs to the Cafe - so I explained........they said this proved intent to steal - luckily the Police Officer disagreed - said that there would be No Further Action as far as the Police were involved (I think the fact I had £400 cash from my business on myself helped ) - the staff then said I was barred from Tesco for 12 months and asked me to leave the premises.

I am left all a bit confused by todays events - to add insult to injury they have removed my Tesco Clubcard from me - their reason was that as I had been "caught" stealing I wouldn't need it..........

I fully support stores prosecuting shoplifters where there is "intent to steal - but where is the allowance for "honest" mistakes - or does such a thing not exist ?

Before anybody starts - I am not after compensation - but I am upset I have been branded a thief !

Annoyed, upset and confused are my feelings at the moment.

I will say that even though I own my own company I do not dress in a 3 piece suit etc..............due to the Fibromyalgia I was wearing jogging bottoms, t shirt and hooded coat and trainers (I cannot manage buttons or fasteners of any kind) ..........in fact when I explained I owned my own company they "sniggered" at myself.........

Do I have any redress ?

Dave

BlueEyedGirl

I can't comment on the legalities, but it does sound you were treated appalling. Being banned from Tesco for 12 months, I mean how are they actually going to enforce this... follow you around, stick a picture on the wall of your face in every Tesco up and down the country! :eek:

Nick_C

The key thing is you left the store with goods belonging to Tesco without attempting to pay for them. Many people would see that as theft. I think you should consider yourself lucky that you are not being prosecuted.

In terms of the ban, as Blue Eyed Girl said, it will be difficult for them to enforce nationally, and also locally as time passes. Tesco are however perfectly entitled to ban you from their premises.

I'm not trying to be judgemental here, or suggest that you were intending to steal the magazines. But it could certainly look that way.

tomtontom

I'm struggling to work out how you managed to go to the toilet without realising you had these magazines in your hand? Or were they not in your hand?

JReacher1

I imagine every shop lifter says it was just an honest mistake.

In your case it seems to be true but I don't see what tesco have done wrong.

I'm future you should be more careful and not walk out of stores with goods you haven't paid for.

Voyager2002

The police behaved correctly, thankfully.

Tesco are free to decide who is or is not allowed inside their shops, so you do not have any way to challenge the ban. And after that kind of experience, would you want to spend any more money with them?

The best advice is simply to shop at Waitrose instead... if you really want to do something about your experience then you could use Twitter, and emphasise the fact that they were caught out lying in an attempt to incriminate you.

boliston

JReacher1 wrote: »

I imagine every shop lifter says it was just an honest mistake.

In your case it seems to be true but I don't see what tesco have done wrong.

I'm future you should be more careful and not walk out of stores with goods you haven't paid for.

Do many people steal magazines? Seems an "odd" thing to steal as not easily re-saleable.

tomtontom

boliston wrote: »

Do many people steal magazines? Seems an "odd" thing to steal as not easily re-saleable.

Not all theft is with the intention of reselling. I was discussing this with a police officer friend and some of the things that people try to steal are quite bizarre

geerex

One man's "honest mistake" is another's shoplifting spree. You were lucky to get off with it as much as you did.

whiteswan

Thanks for the comments - it was more the "lieing" that took place from the staff.......obviously the Policeman saw through it.........and those of you that said I was in the wrong - well yes you are absolutely correct.

I just couldn't understand how the guard could "arrest" me as he put it.....and yes like a pub landlord they can ban me from their premises without explanation.

I honestly don't want to spend another penny with them........but I would like an apology - they can see from my cluncard account that I am a regular shopper who buys not only groceries but also high value items such as tv's........yes I am sure I am not important to them in the scheme of things..........but still it seems a bizarre way to treat a customer (albeit a forgetful one)

Dave

Takeaway_Addict

whiteswan wrote: »

Thanks for the comments - it was more the "lieing" that took place from the staff.......obviously the Policeman saw through it.........and those of you that said I was in the wrong - well yes you are absolutely correct.

I just couldn't understand how the guard could "arrest" me as he put it.....and yes like a pub landlord they can ban me from their premises without explanation.

I honestly don't want to spend another penny with them........but I would like an apology - they can see from my cluncard account that I am a regular shopper who buys not only groceries but also high value items such as tv's........yes I am sure I am not important to them in the scheme of things..........but still it seems a bizarre way to treat a customer (albeit a forgetful one)

Dave

A forgetful one that walked out without paying for stock....

You are not going to get an apology so accept it and move on.