Retail security guard incorrectly alleges theft.

[Guest]

Looks like many others have had the same experience of wrongly being picked up by security in a store. Is it worth chasing to “clear your name” or just ignoring as it’s a private thing with the company so it won’t have any impact on life anyway.

[des8]

If you have been reading other threads on this matter, you will know the general advice is to ignore and forget.
Trying to "clear" your name is a bit pointless as the incident will not be published

[hello88899]

I wasn't that bothered as I would happily avoid the shop that made the mistake, but they have shared it as fact in a multi-shop/town anti-crime scheme. I've had my photo snapped by an employee in another supermarket and have had a supervisor try to look in my personal bag at the till, been followed by security, had someone just stare at my hands while at self check out.

[islandgirl]

How can this happen? Surely if the guard challenged you and you had a receipt they would have apologised and let you go without making a note of anything?

[echat11]

The thing is that there aren't any consequences for them if they stop you without any 'genuine belief' that you've been up to no good.

Oh, they probably have targets to meet, that is always a 'dangerous' combination. Innocent people being 'accosted' for no reason.

[hello88899]

How can this happen? Surely if the guard challenged you and you had a receipt they would have apologised and let you go without making a note of anything?

I wasn't challenged at all. I would imagine they'll use covid as an excuse.

[islandgirl]

Thank you but now I am even more confused. So you did your shopping, paid for everything, were not challenged and now appear on a "blacklist" of shoplifters?

[hello88899]

Thank you but now I am even more confused. So you did your shopping, paid for everything, were not challenged and now appear on a "blacklist" of shoplifters?

I looked in my backpack bag for my gloves near the entrance of the shop, had a basket with nothing in, put it on the floor, to look in my bag, hadn't got within reaching distance of any shelf, I was followed from then on. They didn't say anything, I was just having various male staff glaring at me and stomping towards me, staring at my hands if I picked up something from a shelf. It was very intimidating, I was having a mini panic attack. I paid for my items with my card and left. I found out later they are calling that theft. It is being shared across a multi town CCTV network.
I honestly thought they needed solid proof. You can say anything after someones left the shop!? I feel like a plank for not asking what they were up to at the time, I just assumed they thought I was someone else and I needed to get out. That anyone could have mistaken that for shoplifting never occurred to me!