Accused of Theft In A Shop

Spendless

Stumbled on this by chance. I've had something similar happen to me. Our local co-op had changed their store lay-out. I was looking at their display of baked goods, when my shoulder strap on my bag slipped, I moved the strap back to my shoulder. No sooner had I re-adjusted it, a store assistant appeared and asked me if I'd just put something in my bag. I hadn't. She did this in front of other people. I left the store shortly afterwards. The people who witnessed it, followed me and told me to go back and make a complaint. I told them I was going to..once I'd calmed down.

Once home I wrote a letter out stating what had happened. I also mentioned when I worked in retail that we weren't allowed to approach customers about stolen goods, unless we had a, seen them take the goods and they had gone past the checkout. I asked if the Co-op had a similar policy. I sent this letter to their head office and dropped a copy in to the store concerned. I received back an apology, a confirmation that to approach customers in the way I had was against their store policy, that they had spoken to the manager about the need to train their staff correctly and £50 in gift vouchers.

I'd write in and say what has happened.

The-Truth

deannatrois wrote: »

I said to the person I was speaking to that they had questioned me in front of a number of people.

So what you had a receipt so just show them that you drama queen!

Pollycat

The-Truth wrote: »

So what you had a receipt so just show them that you drama queen!

Even though you know you haven't stolen anything and you know you can prove it, I would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed being confronted in front of other customers - and I don't even have the issues that the OP has shared with us.

The-Truth

Pollycat wrote: »

Even though you know you haven't stolen anything and you know you can prove it, I would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed being confronted in front of other customers - and I don't even have the issues that the OP has shared with us.

Well I'm slightly Autistic as well and wouldn't feel embarrassed!!

Pollycat

The-Truth wrote: »

Well I'm slightly Autistic as well and wouldn't feel embarrassed!!

Well, I'm not even slightly autistic and as I posted earlier I would feel embarrassed.

powerful_Rogue

hollydays wrote: »

The basic law I was referring to was the definition of theft-which I part quoted in one of my posts , number 28.

I'm struggling to work out how the definition of theft answers Shauns question.

what law has been broken by someone asking how the item came to be in the trolley.

hollydays

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

If as you say, it is very basic law then it should be easy for you to quote exactly what law has been broken by someone asking how the item came to be in the trolley.

Shaun said this - I answered his question about what he thought I was saying, he made an incorrect assumption , my reference to the simple law was definition of theft I provided
As I haven't used the phrase" broken the law" I don't see your point?

hollydays

Deanna , this may help everyone to understand the thought processes staff SHOULD go through before having a confrontation with a " suspect ".
Paraphrased as " ignore S.C.O.N.E. at your peril":)

hollydays

Man wrongly accused of shoplifting in Tesco – where was S.C.O.N.E !

According to the Daily Mail today a gentleman in Northumberland is feeling rather annoyed at having been stopped by staff at Tesco, Bedlington and accused of shoplifting.
Mr!Chris McGarry, the paper reports, had initially taken his trolley load of shopping to a till to pay but his credit card had not worked. Leaving the trolley to one side in the store, he went to a nearby ATM and withdrew some cash which he then used to pay for the shopping on his return.
On exiting the store he was approached by staff who, in the papers words, ‘accused him of shoplifting.’ Mr McGarry was able to produce a valid receipt for all the goods that he had just purchased as well as pointing out the member of staff on the till that had served him.
Staff at the store claimed that they had become suspicious and confused by his movements back and forth from the shop which had led them to believe he was attempting a theft.
Leaving aside the issue of trusting what we read in the news papers and taking the above as fact – or close enough – it is evident that the staff in question did not follow S.C.O.N.E.
Had they done so they would not have attempted to stop the gentleman and Tesco would not now be in the news for the wrong reasons, not forgetting any claim Mr McGarry might try to bring over his ‘distress’.
Whilst a member of staff may have seen the selection, there was no concealment and no observation throughout. He did try to pay at the till so forget no attempt to pay and, well at least yes, he did exit the store.
S.C.O.N.E may seem simplistic at times and yes, will miss thefts that have occurred but do not tick all the S.C.O.N.E boxes, but as said before….
Ignore it at your peril.

hollydays

Deanna, this explains S.C.O.N.E. as you questioned the staff did not see you ' select' the goods.


Again-these are the thought processes and standards civilians should aspire to.:)