- Original Poster
- #1
So I was having a new radio fitted in to my van at Halfords and I had an hour to kill so I popped across to the massive Tesco store across the way. I was wandering round having a browse and killing time looking at a few things that genuinely interested me. I was looking at some cordless phones for my shop as well as some big plastic tubs that I was considering using for the delivery side of my business. I was also just wandering around the kitchen section trying to convince myself I needed that £129 grill.
After about 30 minutes of browsing and looking on my phone at reviews for the things I'd been looking at I decided to leave without purchasing anything. On the way down the escalator 3 security guards piled down towards me and naturally I jumped out of the way thinking they were just going to fly straight past me. Only they didn't...
I can't remember the exact wording but I was told to go with them and asked "You know why we've stopped you don't you?" I explained that I could take a guess but that they were wrong. They said they had seen me around the store looking suspicious etc and I said "I'll be wanting an apology from you once this is all over".
So everyone watched in disgust as the scumbag "thief" was escorted through the store and in to the back. I went past the packing area and through into a small box room with a couple of tables and a chair and a woman who looked like she wouldn't look out of place if she was wearing a rubber glove and holding a tub of Vaseline.
The woman's first words to me once I sat down was "So have you confessed yet?" to which I replied "confessed to what? How does this work? Do I just empty my pockets?". She said "yes" so I proceeded to empty them. I pulled out a wallet with about £2000 in it (was going to the bank afterwards) and a load of change (typical bloke) as well as a motorbike key and a small florists folding knife. Rather than apologising straight away she went on about my knife saying I shouldn't be carrying it in store. I apologised and said I didn't see the "no knives" sign when I walked in. I also pointed out that the store is full of much bigger knives.
She eventually apologised and said I was free to go but I said I wanted to speak to the security guard who treat me like dirt. She fetched him and he came in and again didn't immediately apologise. He kept saying how shady I looked and how they have to go off body language etc. I explained that there wasn't an issue with them suspecting me but with the way I was treat before I'd even been proven guilty. He said he didn't see anything wrong with the way he handled it and I explained that I am a customer who was accused of stealing and I'm very annoyed by the way I was treat. The very fact that I am annoyed is undeniable proof that the way he handled it was wrong. I said that I accept his apology and I want is a hand shake and a promise that the next person he pulls won't be embarrassed in the same way I was. He refused saying that he won't be changing the way he does things.
After a bit of chatting and me saying that if it was my shop this wouldn't have happened etc they offered me a free bottle of booze to which I declined. Then they offered some flowers for Mothers Day to which I also declined (I'm teetotal and also a florist!). I said I didn't want anything, just a promise it wouldn't happen again which unfortunately he couldn't give. He said he has never had this happened to him in the whole time he has been working there.
So that's it! Made my day interesting at least haha.
After about 30 minutes of browsing and looking on my phone at reviews for the things I'd been looking at I decided to leave without purchasing anything. On the way down the escalator 3 security guards piled down towards me and naturally I jumped out of the way thinking they were just going to fly straight past me. Only they didn't...
I can't remember the exact wording but I was told to go with them and asked "You know why we've stopped you don't you?" I explained that I could take a guess but that they were wrong. They said they had seen me around the store looking suspicious etc and I said "I'll be wanting an apology from you once this is all over".
So everyone watched in disgust as the scumbag "thief" was escorted through the store and in to the back. I went past the packing area and through into a small box room with a couple of tables and a chair and a woman who looked like she wouldn't look out of place if she was wearing a rubber glove and holding a tub of Vaseline.
The woman's first words to me once I sat down was "So have you confessed yet?" to which I replied "confessed to what? How does this work? Do I just empty my pockets?". She said "yes" so I proceeded to empty them. I pulled out a wallet with about £2000 in it (was going to the bank afterwards) and a load of change (typical bloke) as well as a motorbike key and a small florists folding knife. Rather than apologising straight away she went on about my knife saying I shouldn't be carrying it in store. I apologised and said I didn't see the "no knives" sign when I walked in. I also pointed out that the store is full of much bigger knives.
She eventually apologised and said I was free to go but I said I wanted to speak to the security guard who treat me like dirt. She fetched him and he came in and again didn't immediately apologise. He kept saying how shady I looked and how they have to go off body language etc. I explained that there wasn't an issue with them suspecting me but with the way I was treat before I'd even been proven guilty. He said he didn't see anything wrong with the way he handled it and I explained that I am a customer who was accused of stealing and I'm very annoyed by the way I was treat. The very fact that I am annoyed is undeniable proof that the way he handled it was wrong. I said that I accept his apology and I want is a hand shake and a promise that the next person he pulls won't be embarrassed in the same way I was. He refused saying that he won't be changing the way he does things.
After a bit of chatting and me saying that if it was my shop this wouldn't have happened etc they offered me a free bottle of booze to which I declined. Then they offered some flowers for Mothers Day to which I also declined (I'm teetotal and also a florist!). I said I didn't want anything, just a promise it wouldn't happen again which unfortunately he couldn't give. He said he has never had this happened to him in the whole time he has been working there.
So that's it! Made my day interesting at least haha.
