Falsely Accused of Theft

bunnie1234

Pollycat wrote: »

As you've posted on the Consumer Rights board, I guess you want advice on that. I think the post below covers it:

I know people don't have an automatic right, but would have thought that for a person to be banned their behavior must be bad in some way. Like someone insulting staff or causing an argument or hurting someone physically or being filthy and smelly or stealing. My friend and I don't fit into any of those categories. We spend a lot there doing our weekly grocery shop and we top up our groceries several times a week. We have never been unpleasant to anyone, be it a customer or staff member. So it strikes us as odd that we were singled out for a ban. But the worst of it is, we were very loudly and publicly humiliated and slanderously accused of theft. It doesn't seem right somehow that a store can do this and cause such humiliation and distress when we have been good, loyal customers.

hollydays

I'm not commenting on the rest of the thread, but shops can ban people for their " shopping behaviour" , which covers a lot of scenarios.

bunnie1234

RichardD1970 wrote: »

Well, you've already changed the story in the space of a few minutes, so yes, it may sound far fetched.

The "story" wasn't changed. We got one item each reduced, paid and were accused of stealing. The fact they did the same to two other people does not change the premise or the fact of what happened to us. Yes others had lots in trolleys that they got reduced, my friend and I had one item each and we were the ones accused and banned. Doesn't make sense does it. And from various comments it sounds like hardly anyone believes it. Which is the very reason my friend and I would like to get some justice. Because as things stand, anyone in that store who knows about this will think we must have stolen something. We can say we didn't (and we truly didn't) but people will think well if the manager banned them and the security guard accused them of stealing and threatened to call the police they must have done it. We didn't. And its not right what that store did.

If they don't want people having stuff in trolleys and getting it marked down the solution is dead simple. Tell the staff not to mark down anything from a person's trolley. Don't allow it and then falsely accuse and ban.

Gavin83

bunnie1234 wrote: »

I know people don't have an automatic right, but would have thought that for a person to be banned their behavior must be bad in some way.

Nope. They can ban you for almost any reason just as long as it's not for a protected characteristic.

I really think you're overthinking this. No one cares and no one thinks you're a thief. Just move on and shop elsewhere. You'll feel a lot better for it.

bunnie1234

worried_jim wrote: »

Angry people in local papers coming up. Compo faces all round.

Not looking for compensation. Not looking for publicity either.

Mr.Generous

bunnie1234 wrote: »

I could have posted an in depth description of our every move. I could have given details about the staff member marking it down. People would have lost the will to live before finishing reading if the bothered that is.

So as the premise is the same whether it be 2 people banned or 4, I first of all didn't go into that detail. I can understand that a store may not want someone to put something in their trolley and get it marked down because there is a possibility, although remote, that someone would pay more on its sell by date.

That being the case, the simple solution would be to ensure staff don''t mark down items handed to them. This store allows it and then accuses anyone they choose of theft. Strange they didn't ban everyone that night.

About 10 -15 people had loads of things in their trolleys that they got marked down. I had ONE pie and so did my friend. The other two people had NOTHING in their trolleys until they got something off the shelf AFTER it was marked down.

So it doesn't really make a lot of sense that they would accuse us of theft and ban us especially when the other two only had ONE reduced item each. Consumer advisers told me a customer has the right to obtain the best price on an item. They also told me once the customer pays for an item a contract is made.

So there is no way that having got the best price and paid for the item, it can be construed as theft. It isn't theft. The shop allowed their staff to mark it down and allowed us to pay. Now it makes zero sense to me either and maybe no one believes any of this. The thing is, I don't like being called a thief and threatened with the police in a loud way in a public place when I have done nothing illegal, so I posted here just hoping for advice in regards to getting an apology from the store.

I have friends that go there and they've been asking me to meet them. I am not going to say I was banned for theft but I didn't do it as no one (even friends) would believe it. After all there is no smoke without fire is there.

But if the ban was lifted, much as I detest the store now, if I was seen in there people would realise I was not guilty. My friend is feeling the same way. And the other two whom I know as acquaintances from talking in the store, would like their names cleared too.

Ah the wonders of paragraphs. Ever noticed books have these rather than just a huge wall of text?

unholyangel

bunnie1234 wrote: »

My immediate instinct is to not want to shop there after what they did. Thing is, I know a lof of the staff and lots of customers who went in around the times I did, and I would like to go back just so they could see me and my friend and by doing that they would see we were not banned and not guilty. Its horrible to know so many people think we are thieves. But if we were allowed back, I would not do my main shopping there any more as I would no longer want my money boosting their sales and profits.

The chances of all the same people being there at the same time is slim. As elsien says, those who have an opinion worth caring about wouldn't judge you out of turn.

bunnie1234 wrote: »

I could have posted an in depth description of our every move. I could have given details about the staff member marking it down. People would have lost the will to live before finishing reading if the bothered that is. So as the premise is the same whether it be 2 people banned or 4, I first of all didn't go into that detail. I can understand that a store may not want someone to put something in their trolley and get it marked down because there is a possibility, although remote, that someone would pay more on its sell by date. That being the case, the simple solution would be to ensure staff don''t mark down items handed to them. This store allows it and then accuses anyone they choose of theft. Strange they didn't ban everyone that night. About 10 -15 people had loads of things in their trolleys that they got marked down. I had ONE pie and so did my friend. The other two people had NOTHING in their trolleys until they got something off the shelf AFTER it was marked down. So it doesn't really make a lot of sense that they would accuse us of theft and ban us especially when the other two only had ONE reduced item each. Consumer advisers told me a customer has the right to obtain the best price on an item. They also told me once the customer pays for an item a contract is made. So there is no way that having got the best price and paid for the item, it can be construed as theft. It isn't theft. The shop allowed their staff to mark it down and allowed us to pay. Now it makes zero sense to me either and maybe no one believes any of this. The thing is, I don't like being called a thief and threatened with the police in a loud way in a public place when I have done nothing illegal, so I posted here just hoping for advice in regards to getting an apology from the store. I have friends that go there and they've been asking me to meet them. I am not going to say I was banned for theft but I didn't do it as no one (even friends) would believe it. After all there is no smoke without fire is there. But if the ban was lifted, much as I detest the store now, if I was seen in there people would realise I was not guilty. My friend is feeling the same way. And the other two whom I know as acquaintances from talking in the store, would like their names cleared too.

See its things like this that make people doubt your story. Its not that they think you stole anything. Quite the opposite, they believe you didn't and that the scenario is made up. By things like this, I mean implying you knew what was in everyones trolley, when it was there and how it was handled.

You say you shop there often and know people there. Do you often get things reduced in price deliberately? I wouldn't even know that you could do that so I'm wondering if you have a habit of doing this. It would certainly be a logical explanation for the scenario you describe.

bunnie1234

SnowTiger wrote: »

For me that's a problem. Parts of the story missing and the viewpoint of one side.

We've all used supermarkets. Many of us do so more than once a week. I'm having problems buying your story as it's presented."

Can't give you another story because what I said happened, happened exactly as stated. I did actually see the other side, ie the store may not want customers to put things in trolleys and then get them marked down. It would be easy for them to stop that by stopping markdowns handed to staff from trolleys. If that is the store's side, it does not justify what they did to us.

The fact you "don't buy" the story .... well I realised before posting that most people wouldn't believe it. My time is precious and what would I have to gain by posting a pack of lies? Or even seeing the story only from my side if I want decent advice. I told what happened. I could give a commentary of what aisles my friend and I walked down, what we bought first and last, how we paid, ie whether using a self service till or a manned one. I could tell you every single item I bought. I could say the date and time on the receipt. I could quote you exactly what the manager said and exactly what the security guard said and how loud they said it. None of it would make an iota of difference to the basic facts that we got one marked down item each, paid for them and were accused of theft. There was no bad behaviour on our part. We simply walked along the aisles, we chatted, we saw our other two acquaintences. We saw them take one item of reduced fruit each and put them into their trolleys. We did not shout and make a scene when banned and accused of theft. We were stunned and mortified. I did respond that I would have bought the pie at the first markdown price had we not seen the staff member marking down items from people's trolleys and the manager said it makes no difference you are still banned.

I mentioned every detail in my letter to the CEO. It was a long letter. But the basic facts are, we went into the store, we put some items in our trolleys, one of which was a pie we got a final reduction on, we paid and were then accused of theft.

Its because we know there are many like yourself who won't buy our story that we are concerned for our reputations and its the reason why stores can get away with such audacious behaviour because they know no one would believe it. After all there is no smoke without fire is there?

Bermonia

OMG how is this thread still going... OP you’re not going to get any more advice than you’ve been told already, the store has no reason to change their stance and your story is quite frankly absurd in so many places.

bunnie1234

Bermonia wrote: »

OMG how is this thread still going... OP you’re not going to get any more advice than you’ve been told already, the store has no reason to change their stance and your story is quite frankly absurd in so many places.

Absurd is an apt description but not in the way you mean it. The story is 100% fact with nothing altered or exaggerated. What happened defies belief and yet it is true. I understand why people think it isn't. I am no longer expecting advice but simply replying to some comments.