Rant Adventures at the Co-op part 2

[Jeros]

First it was ID for alcohol free beer, and now.....

Went into co-op with a bottle of water in my back pocket, on the way out I had to dig out my recepit from tesco earlier to prove I had not stolen it from the co-op.

The kicker.

They don't even sell that bottle of water.

Ffs what happened to common sense.

 

[Lamp]

Long gone, m8. TBH I'm surprised they let you in at all. Health & safety. Your backpack could have slipped off, you could have tripped over it, and you might have drowned in the puddle of water from your broken plastic bottle whilst bleeding to death from a heavy paper cut from the receipt.

 

[ECA]

You must look like a total chav.

 

[Jeros]

You must look like a total chav.

I was wearing a flannel shirt, dark jeans and black shoes. If anything I looked like a slone ranger.

Of which that are quite a few around Edinburgh

 

[Scouse]

They don't even sell that bottle of water.

1) Did you point that out to them?
2) If so, what did they say?

 

[Ch3tan]

First it was ID for alcohol free beer, and now.....

Went into co-op with a bottle of water in my back pocket, on the way out I had to dig out my recepit from tesco earlier to prove I had not stolen it from the co-op.

The kicker.

They don't even sell that bottle of water.

Ffs what happened to common sense.

You were under no obligation to to do so, if they were to accuse you of anything, the burden of proof would be on them.

 

[Madmaxx]

i'd asked you where you got the wine if you had it in your back pocket, at most we only get a glance at people before they vanish down an aisle. I doubt i'd be able to tell the brand from range.

 

[Jeros]

1) Did you point that out to them?
2) If so, what did they say?

Nah, I had the receipt in my pocket, I just wanted to get home

 

[Hawkwind]

You were under no obligation to to do so, if they were to accuse you of anything, the burden of proof would be on them.

Precisely, I would have asked to see their evidence and then tell them to call the police or f*ck off wasting my time!

 

[DaGaffer]

Precisely, I would have asked to see their evidence and then tell them to call the police or f*ck off wasting my time!

Really? Reaaaally? I know we'd all want to make a big song and dance about it, but 99% of the time we'd do exactly what Jeros did, show them the receipt and be on our way. And then moan about it afterwards.

 

[Madmaxx]

Take it as a complement said person might have been checking you out

 

[Hawkwind]

Really? Reaaaally? I know we'd all want to make a big song and dance about it, but 99% of the time we'd do exactly what Jeros did, show them the receipt and be on our way. And then moan about it afterwards.

Unfortunately, I tend to get bolshy when confronted by idiots and hate having my time wasted . Wife hates it, says I'm always looking for a fight in situations like that.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Unfortunately, I tend to get bolshy when confronted by idiots and hate having my time wasted . Wife hates it, says I'm always looking for a fight in situations like that.

And end up wasting more of your time

Bit of a common courtesy(near there of) around here to open your bag, no one really does it as no one really gives a f*ck about a stolen loaf of bread, but still if asked people just do it without a whine and dance.

 

[Ch3tan]

Really? Reaaaally? I know we'd all want to make a big song and dance about it, but 99% of the time we'd do exactly what Jeros did, show them the receipt and be on our way. And then moan about it afterwards.

Whereas I would have shown them the receipt just to leave, I'd have also pointed out why they are in the wrong, and depending on how aggressively they had approached me, probably take names and made a written complaint later.

 

[DaGaffer]

Whereas I would have shown them the receipt just to leave, I'd have also pointed out why they are in the wrong, and depending on how aggressively they had approached me, probably take names and made a written complaint later.

Which is what I'd have done. But then I'd never get around to writing the letter...

 

[Madmaxx]

really get all worked up like that because he walked into a store with a bottle of wine in the pocket probably had the shirt over flowing on it a bit, its like when people are shopping at they put the items in the bag they brought with them and not in a basket; we'll keep an eye on ya.

 

[Ch3tan]

really get all worked up like that because he walked into a store with a bottle of wine in the pocket probably had the shirt over flowing on it a bit, its like when people are shopping at they put the items in the bag they brought with them and not in a basket; we'll keep an eye on ya.

Learn to read mate, WATER, not WINE. He ain't a made up son of a made up deity.

 

[Madmaxx]

oh well mustve been the beer that got me thinking either way, we get people stealing the most random of things e.g fabric conditioner that you have to question everything having security barriers and 2 guards and shit still fly's off the roof.

 

[Ch3tan]

oh well mustve been the beer that got me thinking either way, we get people stealing the most random of things e.g fabric conditioner that you have to question everything having security barriers and 2 guards and shit still fly's off the roof.

Yes, but I think you and your security guards need to read up on the law. I did 11 years in retail, and you are asking for a lot of trouble if you think you have stop and search powers.

To prove shoplifting and accuse someone, you have to have had someone watching them for the entire time they were in the store, and have seen them pick-up a product and attempt to leave without making an attempt to pay for it.

 

[Madmaxx]

To prove shoplifting and accuse someone, you have to have had someone watching them for the entire time they were in the store, and have seen them pick-up a product and attempt to leave without making an attempt to pay for it.

Went into co-op with a bottle of water in my back pocket, on the way out I had to dig out my recepit from tesco earlier to prove I had not stolen it from the co-op.

Pretty much what happened to Jeros then, How could the member of staff even see the label if its in his pocket ?

 

[Ch3tan]

Nope... it's not what happened is it? For them to have been able to stop him, or accuse him of anything, they would have had to:

a) see enter the store without the water - so if he had it with him when he came in they weren't doing that.
b) kept eyes on him the entire time he was in the store
c) seen him pick the water up, and put it in his pocket
d) make no attempt to pay
e) leave the premises.


The law in this country does not allow for shops to check someone because they have a hunch, I really hope you continue your belief that you can stop and search anyone though, your company will end up paying a lot of compensation to someone eventually. Also security guards can lose their license for not following these guidelines.

 

[Raven]

Common courtesy to a jumped up jobsworth? No thanks. I would have told them the facts and and walked off. They have no right to stop you or to request to go through your bags/pockets or see a receipt. I fail to see how they could take up any of your time by you just walking off.

 

[soze]

So if I have 10 of my mates stand in a circle around me then while shielding me from view fill my pockets and bag with stuff from the shelves. Keeping in mind the staff can not see me put it in my bag / pockets it is then illegal for them to stop and search me? I am not doubting anyone's word on this just finding it hard to believe. And I assume the alarms set off by tags are a separate matter although I think they just hold you for the Police rather than searching you.

 

[Raven]

If you say that you haven't got anything (and haven't) and walk off what are they going to do? They are not the police, they have no right to touch you or stop you from going about your business.

 

[soze]

Yes but if I say I haven't got anything but I do by the law they still can't stop me and I just walk away with no comeback it seems that something is not right there, they must be able to hold you for the police if they have a suspicion or something?

Nope a few web pages all say the same a Security Guard can perform a Citizens Arrest just like anyone else but then if the person is innocent they can face assault charges so it looks like Security Guards are often even told not to chase people who set the barriers off. I am surprised by this and will never look at them in the same light again.

 

[Raven]

I guess it depends how the court sees it, if you get caught on the rob then they would not prosecute the person detaining you I imagine.

If they physically hold you without any proof of theft and it turns out you haven't nicked anything then I would sue them for assault and false imprisonment. "he had a bottle in his pocket" is not really proof of theft.

 

[Ch3tan]

Soze, the shop could attempt to hold you, and if you had anything on you then you'd likely be arrested. However, if they were unable to prove that you stole it; i.e, no cctv or eyewitness, then they would not be prosecuted.

 

[Ch3tan]

Nope a few web pages all say the same a Security Guard can perform a Citizens Arrest just like anyone else but then if the person is innocent they can face assault charges so it looks like Security Guards are often even told not to chase people who set the barriers off. I am surprised by this and will never look at them in the same light again.

Soze, security guards are a deterrent to theft, they have no real powers. Shops use them only if they feel that there is a danger to staff and this would minimise it, or if the cost of a guard is less than the loss caused by shrinkage.

 

[Ch3tan]

Also, I'd really not want to shop where madmaxx does, sounds like a bunch of badly trained vigilante retail assistants!

 

[Lamp]

I've seen mums give their kids something to eat off the shelf then present the empty wrapper at the checkout. Isn't that technically theft?