Shoplifting

I worked in a pharmacy some years ago and people shoplifted - or tried to - regularly. It was usually sprays such as Lynx or hair dyes. It was also the usual suspects. We had a regular ‘clientele’ who visited us. Back then, the boss would intercept them on their way out and tell them nicely that they’d forgotten to pay. They usually handed it over and skulked out the door. I suspect it might be different nowadays.

I’ve seen two men challenged in B&M by security guards. They threw down their bags and legged it. I was buying at the make up counter in Boots when staff were coordinating catching a thief. A problem locally is such that premium brands refuse to stock products in this town because the rate of theft is so high. That’s a loss for everyone. Not only does the every day customer end up paying, it reduces the range of goods available and makes the town less attractive as a destination.

LadyGracie

I saw a rather grubby very young man run out of Sainsbury’s recently with 2 carrier bags stuffed with food, two security guards caught him and marched him back through the shop.
I felt really sorry for him.

You felt SORRY for him? Words fail me!

First time I heard of this was a young mother of 3 taking cheese of the shelf at Sainsburys. I was working for a legal firm at the time some 37 years ago. This young mother had no money and wanted something for the hungry children. (Abbreviated story.) She was taken to remand centre awaiting Magistrates Court. The children were taken to a home. The young mother was given a 6 month sentence. The whole firm was speechless. First time I actually saw theft was about 18 months ago in Tesco. Four men, various ages from early 20s to late 40s, were filling a trolley with spirits and then covering them over with large bags of crisps before heading out of the door. They were speaking an East European language. I honestly don't know why I watched this happen. I am usually to busy checking prices of my purchases, and adding up the total. I told a Tesco employee, who immediately went for help in order to follow them. Must have happened a lot seeing all the security now in place. What is classed as stealing! Working for a City hospital as a volunteer some 30 years ago, a non-English speaking ethnic community would come in a group and mime that they wanted supplies. Mainly, anything to do with babies. They were given food, but not medicines. It later transpired they were selling everything on the local market. I think it still happens that all knock off is sold on the markets.

Sago

Magenta8

Not sure I understand the "moral" of you tale Sago, if there is one.

Firstly not buying goods and flouncing out of a Marks and Spencer store in High St Ken, after witnessing blatant shop lifting going unpunished for quite complicated reasons. Then bussing over to the Marble Arch to buy the same items from the Marks and Spencer shop there doesn't appear to me to be a very logical or effective way of showing your disapproval.

Am I missing something?

Yes you’re missing a sense of humour!
I had cut my nose off to spite my face so has to traipse across London to get the dress.

Thank you for that clarification. I didn't realise that it was meant to be humorous.

It happens every day . In the larger shopping malls they usually have security staff that catch the thieves then they can turn them over to the police.

Low life's to steal from a charity shop.

I also once saw a young man in a supermarket open his shirt, take the top off a new can of deodorant, have a good squirt, put the top back on and replace it on the shelf. He then walked out. I took the can to the security guard but he said there wasn’t much they could do about it as it couldn’t be proved he’d actually stolen anything!

I was in an Edinburgh Woollen Mill store in Oxford some years ago, buying my favourite lambswool sweaters, when a man walked in and started examining a rack of cashmere sweaters quite near to the door. He selected three - and dashed out of the shop with them! My son was with me and offered to pursue the man but he was firmly told he mustn’t. It happened often and they would write them off! I still can’t understand why they put the stand so near to the entrance and not further back in the store.

We have a lot of thieves at work, we have CCTV everywhere, we are very vigilant, and are prepared to stop people we know have stolen from us.
But despite having clear images, there is no point contacting the police , despite some things being up to £1000, they’re not interested.
A woman ran off with goods worth £800 this week, staff chased her but a car was outside with the engine running.

Magenta8

Not sure I understand the "moral" of you tale Sago, if there is one.

Firstly not buying goods and flouncing out of a Marks and Spencer store in High St Ken, after witnessing blatant shop lifting going unpunished for quite complicated reasons. Then bussing over to the Marble Arch to buy the same items from the Marks and Spencer shop there doesn't appear to me to be a very logical or effective way of showing your disapproval.

Am I missing something?

Yes you’re missing a sense of humour!
I had cut my nose off to spite my face so has to traipse across London to get the dress.

I once saw a girl of about 6 casually pick up a small toy from one of those big baskets/bins that clutter up the aisles, and stuff it in her cardigan pocket.
I pointed her out to a member of staff, and he said words to the effect of "look, she's with mum, dad and a load of other family - what can I do?"
I saw his point, and the toy was probably worth only £1, but I was amazed by the casual slick-ness of this child - so deft and professional! What hope have shops when they are so practised at such a young age?

Yes, a long while ago though. In Debenhams, it was perfume or make up. And in M&S food hall. Both times I reported it to security but they couldn’t do anything as they had to witness it and neither store had cameras.

LadyGracie

I saw a rather grubby very young man run out of Sainsbury’s recently with 2 carrier bags stuffed with food, two security guards caught him and marched him back through the shop.
I felt really sorry for him.

I get that, but it is wrong to steal, I would not say because someone looks grubby they deserve pity, where as the well presented woman is alful, they are both thieving and they both know its wrong.
We cannot start where we feel sorry for one and condemn the other.

I was nearly knocked over by a man running very fasr out of Tesco carrying 2 bottles of whisky. He was followed a few mins later by a security man and an employee. I said "he went that way" but he was too fast for them to follow. I did hope that he might trip up and drop the bottles.

Last time I was in London a man ran into Sainsburys and stole a leg of meat. Staff chased but he got away.
2 respectable women I know were accused and mentioned in the paper. One was a teacher recently bereaved so her mind may have been on other things.

A long time ago I was in town and I went into a shop and bought some clothes for my, then baby, GS. For some reason the assistant left them on hangers when she put them in a bag.

I noticed after a while that the hangers were ripping the plastic bag they were in so I went to the nearest litter bin, which was outside BHS and started to dispose of them. Within minutes a female PC grabbed me by the arm and accused me of nicking the clothes so I showed her the receipt and offered to return to the shop with her. By this time there was quite a crowd of rubber necks. Apparently, I had been caught on CCTV by BHS who later apologised and sent me a £10 voucher.

I rang the police to complain about my heavy handed treatment and the liaison officer advised me to 'keep quiet about it' and offered no apology. I don't know if my ethnicity had anything to do with all this.

Of course this would not happen these days as police don't patrol shopping precincts anymore and low value shop lifting
does not seem to be a crime any longer.

My son tells me in their nearby Co-op, it certainly happens, he bumped into a teen recently making a hurried exit with an armful of what looked like multi packs of crisps. The staff don't challenge, I think they've been told not to. Co-ops seem to be a soft target, it's a shame son and girlfriend were very pleased to get this very local to them shop, so handy for bread, milk and other essentials they run out of.

One of the shops near us has put up a photo board of people ‘banned’ from their store. Not sure where they got the photos from, possibly CCTV. I’m pretty sure it is not legal to do this here but good on them. Someone has to do something. The rest of us pay more because of these argholes

I saw a rather grubby very young man run out of Sainsbury’s recently with 2 carrier bags stuffed with food, two security guards caught him and marched him back through the shop.
I felt really sorry for him.

Many years ago I had gone to out local chemist/general store to buy a fabric dye. I chose the colour I wanted and put the small tin on the counter top whilst I browsed for some envelopes. Another customer goes up to the counter and pockets the fabric dye…………I loudly said “hey, that’s mine, I put it there as I haven’t paid for it yet”! I was very very loud and assertive. He swiftly put it back on the counter and mumbled something about it being left behind by another customer. I have since done something similar when I see people blatantly shoplifting although I guess it isn’t wise these days. Shame on anyone who doesn’t pay for what they take!

I was sitting waiting for a vaccination appt. upstairs in a large Boots when I noticed a girl spending a long time by a nearby display - in a relatively quiet area. She had an evidently new Boots plastic bag, and just as I was thinking she might be going to nick something, she quickly slipped something into the bag and scooted off.
There were no staff nearby to tell - not that anyone would probably have done anything.

Chocolatelovinggran

Golly BlueBelle- stealing from a charity shop is pretty low.....

Yes, I volunteer at a charity shop and shop lifting is common. 🥲

BlueBelle
The same in our shop. People in wheelchairs, mothers with prams. The scum don’t realise that there are cameras everywhere.
Just the other day we were accused of being racist when we pulled over an Asian lady. My manager showed her the CCTV where upon she flounced out.

Was behind a young chap in a B&M type store. He paid for the few items he had, then the checkout man said, “What about the chocolate bar sticking out of your pocket?”

The lad just shrugged, and left.

I looked askance at the checkout person, He said ‘They’re just so blatant about it, but we can’t do anything.”

I noticed he alerted the manager to the offender, hope he’s banned in the future.

Not sure I understand the "moral" of you tale Sago, if there is one.

Firstly not buying goods and flouncing out of a Marks and Spencer store in High St Ken, after witnessing blatant shop lifting going unpunished for quite complicated reasons. Then bussing over to the Marble Arch to buy the same items from the Marks and Spencer shop there doesn't appear to me to be a very logical or effective way of showing your disapproval.

Am I missing something?

The most blatant I saw were two women in M&S High St Kensington.
They were filling their burkas with all kinds of goods, I reported it to staff who said they could do nothing.
The reason being there had to be an Imam present when they were searched, only female officers could search them and a translator would be requested.
Even if these conditions were met they then often claimed diplomatic immunity.
I was so incensed I told staff I wouldn’t buy my goods, handed them back and flounced off!
I then took a bus over to the Marble Arch store and purchased them there!
It was a dress and shoes for a dinner I was attending, I wore the dress for many occasions over 15 years then handed it to my daughter!