I got assualted in Tesco!

anewman

debtdestroyer wrote: »

1. The staff member grabbing me by the shoulder amounts to common assualt (the words of the police officer I just gave a statement to). imagine if I went into tesco and lunged at one of their staff - id be carted off in a police van before you could say Every Little Helps.

Yes I hadn't considered it from that perspective. Probably because I tend to be law obiding and don't make lunges at people.

Does it sound like the police are interested and taking it seriously? Are they taking it any further? Good on you if they are! Hopefully something worthwhile will come of it, even if it is only a verbal warning from a police officer.

Of course don't discuss or whatever the legal obigations are if it may go to court and predjudice your case or whatever all the legal mumbo jumbo is.

Also, if they're sold by weight as opposed to being a sealed and priced bag based on the weight in that bag (i.e. they had to weigh them), I can't see what they got so bothered about.

Nenen

OP so sorry to hear of your distress. I don't know about the legalities of this situation and I have no wish to support Tesco but, as a point of clarification, I would imagine that as you were on their property and they have the right to have CCTV on their own property, they would argue that by you choosing to enter their property you have implicitly agreed to be filmed as CCTV is not hidden and usually advertised as being there. They also have the right to stop you from taking photographs on their property if they so wish. I *think* I am right in saying that a shop can ask you to leave their property at any time without giving a reason.

What did the police say will happen next?

anewman

Nenen wrote: »

I *think* I am right in saying that a shop can ask you to leave their property at any time without giving a reason.

They can, just like you can keep people you don't want in your house out.

But in my strong opinion would need a *very* good reason to eject someone. I cannot see why they would eject paying customers who are NOT stealing, NOT intentionally damaging items, and NOT behaving aggressively towards staff or other customers.

pulliptears

If the banana's were reduced to 20p a kg and sealed you were really in the wrong to take one out, regardless whether or not it was bad. yes, I can appreciate why you did it, but it wasn't the right thing to do. If everyone did this the entire produce aisle would be awash with open bags and damaged fruit.

That said I do think they went OTT.

ollyk

I worked at Tescos in my younger days and the only people who were treated like this (which was very rare) deserved it!

The OP had no right to interfere with a bag of banana's that he had not purchased but I guess that is not the point. I am willing to bet if we saw the other point of view things would appear very different.
If I am wrong I am sorry but to me situations like this generally come from the person who has got little to lose.

Waste of tax payers money and all over a bunch of f***ing bananas - Take a deep breath and go see the doctor!

Brooke_Daver

debtdestroyer wrote: »

Just going to copy and paste my account of what happened for now, going to the police station to give a statement in a bit.

On 22nd Novemeber 2007 I entered Tesco in Victoria Centre Nottingham. At approx 20.00 I approached the checkout with a plastic bag of discounted bananas, one of which I had removed as it was unfit for sale. I was told Tesco would not honour the discount as I had opened the bag. At this point I took a picture of the banana I removed, and informed the staff I as going to be sending it to trading standards/environmental health. A staff member, who would best be described as off oriental origin, grabbed my left shoulder and lunged at my phone. He got on his radio and I began exiting the store. At this point I as accosted by 2 more staff members, who informed me that it was illegal to take photographs inside the store. I began to leave and a male security guard attempted to block my path with his body. I tried to step around him but to no avail. At this point a number of other security guards and staff members surrounded me and behaved in an extremely intimidating manner. They all blocked my route of exit. They asked me to explain what had happened to the duty manager and I tried to explain but felt I was too frightened (my hands were literally shaking) to continue the conversation. Again I tried to leave and was stopped by the guards, at which point I informed them that this was false imprisonment. I informed the store manager that this was a civil, and not a criminal matter and that if needed I would give him my contact details so this could be pursued further. The guards then allowed me to leave.

You damaged their property.

By going to the police over such a trivial matter you are wasting their valuable time.

Sending pictures of ripe banannas to trading standards/environemtal health is just wasting their time too.

jackieb

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

Think they only put value ones in bags, the others are loose

No they don't. They put the organic ones in bags. The eat me, keep me bananas are in bags. The little ones are also bagged.

maninthestreet

'By going to the police over such a trivial matter you are wasting their valuable time.'

Assault/battery, and False Imprisonment are not trivial matters - the police are duty bound to investigate such complaints, no matter how much you think this is a waste of their time. From the OP's latest update, the Police are taking his complaint seriously.

anewman

Even if it is a waste of tax payers money, as you say ollyk, it's over being grabbed on the shoulder and an attempted grab at personal property, not banana's as you incorrectly state.

I have opened boxes of goods in Tesco's because the box looked a little banged and it was the last one, just to check whether the goods inside had been disturbed prior to purchase. I am a customer and it's my choice wether I want to purchase something, just because you have it on the shelf doesn't make it perfect and acceptable to my standards for me to give Tesco's money for it. I don't want to purchase damaged goods or second hand goods. I guess I deserved a lunge, a grab for my mobile phone and security guards blocking my exit?!! Just because I wanted to ensure I was getting what I was paying for.

I'm all for those chavs who stroll in, grab a bottle of lynx, spraying liberally, then walking out being treat like this though as that's clear theft.

If it was paid for by weight, I too would have removed the bad banana to save money, as I wouldn't want to purchase a bad banana and pay for the privelige. I'm not sure I would have opened a package though, I would probably have looked for another pack. As for the argument about Tesco having bad fruit all over the display, what a stupid argument, Tesco are a big supermarket and they have systems in place to deal with damaged stock, and rotten fruit. It would not be in Tesco's interests to leave bad fruit out.

SmileBeHappy

dnt loadsa people eat grapes while going around and then get tescos etc to scan the empty bag, or drink half the coke bottle, then pay for it...

Technically its no worse... she just dint want the grim banana?

And them assaulting her is wrong... but your wasting time in my opinion