Does there have to be set criteria for accusing someone of theft from a shop?

[hello88899]

Could staff just claim they had seen you take something even though CCTV doesn't back it up? And no bag search, no conversation.

[echat11]

Yes providing there are witnesses. CCTV hasn't always been around. Clearly CCTV crystallizes the allegation of 'theft' if captured.

Even when it is 'captured', there could be other explanations other then the 'act of theft'.

[hello88899]

Yes providing there are witnesses. CCTV hasn't always been around. Clearly CCTV crystallizes the allegation of 'theft' if captured.

Even when it is 'captured', there could be other explanations other then the 'act of theft'.

So staff could simply say they saw it happen, no need to approach the "shoplifter" and get evidence.

[islandgirl]

Well they could say it - but whether there would be any evidence to charge it (ie by the Police) is entirely another matter.

[echat11]

Agree 100%, that's why the police spend so much of there time gathering evidence.
If there is no evidence, there is no case.

[hello88899]

Agree 100%, that's why the police spend so much of there time gathering evidence.
If there is no evidence, there is no case.

How legal would it be to share someones image(on a local shop safe network linked to multi town CCTV) and claim they were a shoplifter, no real evidence, only staff saying it was.

[echat11]

How legal would it be to share someones image(on a local shop safe network linked to multi town CCTV) and claim they were a shoplifter, no real evidence, only staff saying it was.

You need to dig a bit deeper, have evidence that they are doing that, establish the circumstances why they are doing that, if it's there in error you can get them to remove it.