Drama at the Co-op

I was going into Matalan the other day and as I walked up to the automatic doors a man ran out holding a coat above his head. Took me a while to realise what had happened...he was holding it above the alarm sensors. The security person was at the back of the store at the time, she asked what he looked like but I doubt they did anything more about it.

This is a symptom not the cause. This government has decimated our police service while the rich have their own private security and private neighbourhood police. It can only get worse. My goodness what a mess the next Labour government will have to clear up.

Not uncommon as you'd think! There used to be a woman in my village that used to be known as "Pockets " due to her constant shoplifting !
I was once shopping in the sales in Next and saw a woman sorting through an armful of clothing in the homeware dept - not unusual, apart from the fact that some items were going in the clear bag provided by the store (instead of a basket) and others were going into one of the shopping bags she was also carrying! She was behind me in the queue at the till, so I had a quiet word with the member of staff standing by the door. Thankfully, as the woman tried to leave the alarm went off and she was last seen being escorted to the back of the shop.

Years ago in WH Smith, I saw someone walk out having pinched a coffee table book worth about £25. Cool as you like he just walked out of the store with it under his jacket. Seems to be even more rife nowadays.

With Foodbanks and the general level of poverty around us, is it surprising that people steal food? Though I do agree that smoked salmon is pushing it a bit.

My goodness what a mess the next Labour government will have to clear up.

Love your optimism, blue skies

I shall certainly check that everything is sealed in future.
Police should investigate That's why we pay taxes. But its not the only thing we pay for that we don't get fron our government!
If you are hungry there are food banks- not nice I know but better than stealing.
Its us who pay, not shareholders, of course.

Mothers are just as bad they give a bag of grapes to their child in the trolley to keep them quite which in turn they drop on the floor causing people to slip on them and dump the rest on a shelf!!
It is still theft.

Shoplifters in our local Coop took eggs, flour and bottles. My son was amazed at their brazenness. The attendant on the till just carried on ringing up his goods remarking it was a funny thing to steal.
10 minutes later, a taxi was covered with the stuff and the driver lying in the road with a broken limb.
So sad that these young “adults” seem hell bent on making malicious mischief.

We had a lot of this at local Tesco- usually top-end meat (the fags & spirits being behind counter). It's drug addicts, who sell on the prime steak etc to fund habit. We were only allowed to put it out one pack at a time. Tho I always wondered...even if I was offered cut-price meat, even if it had a good sell-by date...would I actually FANCY it if it had been kicking around in the warm, druggy miasma of the shoplifter's lair for an unspecified time?? How do you know it's not been sitting there for a day or two, gradually going off??

Similar thing happened when I was shopping in Iceland just before Christmas. Couldn't believe it - three people stuffing frozen meat joints, poultry, tins of sweets and chocolates into their bags and under their coats before walking boldly past the checkouts to a waiting car. Manager wasn't too bothered when I reported it and carried on stacking the shelves! Said she'd check CCTV.

I've seen people shoplifting. A very smart lady taking chocolate and leaving, did tell staff. You are in a state of shock because you can't believe your seeing it. Also saw a man in a cap stealing butter both from M&S.

It needs a local community policeman who could come at the drop of a hat when the thief is in store.
Perhaps one or two people could box the car in when the man is on the shop?
Follow the car to see where they live? Then if they have CCTV (or take a pic with phone ) and customers willing to testify, take out a private prosecution?
Put a picture (from CCTV) on shop door/in shop window?
No way would I be able to accept it and do nothing.

A few months ago I was in a very large Tesco I nipped to the loo before shopping. When I walked out of the cubicle a young girl followed me in .She was clutching a ‘fun fur ‘ coat very close to her in a way that just seemed wrong. As I looked I could see the store label still on the coat. I approached the security men and told them to look out for a young woman leaving the toilets in a furry coat Within minutes the manager was called to the front of the store. I hope it wasn’t a coincidence

I also heard recently that self service tills are responsible for theft. Stores installed them to save money on staff etc but apparently they are costing stores money. I think it was in a large Asda they have cameras on these tills.

If you see someone in a store putting things under a coat/ in pocket etc, you could say in a loud voice “would you like to use a basket/trolley instead of your pockets?”

That happens all the time at our local Co-op - yes, All. The. Time! Last summer it got really bad, with thieves stealing barbecue meat. The shop keepers got fed up, so they took all the meat to the back and, instead, put up a sign which said something like: "Please ask if you require meat." Then someone stole the sign!

Our local Asda has all their packs of cheddar cheese 'security protected'

CCTV must be the answer. Cameras to protect your business both inside and out. Many do but no doubt small village shops don't Because it would offend the customer ? Tough? If you have nothing hide why should it. ?

I was going into Waitrose recently and a man was coming out with a full shopping bag, He was stopped by a manager who asked politely "Excuse me, sir, but have you paid for your shopping?" The man said "Yes" and the manager politely asked him to produce his till slip. Obviously I could not stand there gawping, so I went past them into the shop.
I have often wondered what happened next.

My son manages a co op and it happens all too often , he has in the past gone after someone although i was horrified and told him he isn't to risk himself for some food!
They are not allowed to chase anyone now, they can ban them if they try to re enter at a later date though.

Sat in Lidl car park over Christmas while hubby popped in and a shop lifter ran out with a bag full, hubby came out to say the staff just had to watch as they are not allowed to intervene! there is no hope is there

Our Coop keeps the steak in the ‘back’ you have to ask for some now. It was regularly pinched so they say! I was in ours when a bloke stole a bottle of spirits, the staff gave chase but to no avail! I thought the idea of Community Police where to cover these types of crime.

Bradford
That reminds me of a cartoon I saw once, it was two older ladies looking at a newspaper headline "Mobs Invade Mecca". One lady said to the other "Does this mean there'll be no bingo this week?"

Once in Sainsbury's I saw a man wheel a loaded trolley out of the doors without paying for it. The security men gave chase!

KatyK
Wow, you must have valuable cheese in your area!

My DIL works in a local Tesco store where they live and says it happens all the time. They have people come in late at night and take stuff or open the sandwiches and eat them before walking out. There are a lot of addicts in the area which is quite scary. Someone came in with a knife before Christmas and threatened them all - the police came but he'd run off by the time they arrived.

A couple of years ago we were coming out of one of the big stores - BM or Range and a couple ran past us with a trolley full of items nearly knocking into our car - they flung it all in the boot of theirs before tearing off out the car park. I went back in and told one of the store cashiers who said she'd report it but doubt anything would be done.