If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

I am ashamed to say l did this the other day when l was shopping for my ‘essentials’. It was only when l realised how dreadfully sad l was that l stopped!
It was in a Tesco Metro and a young smartly dressed man was putting groceries into a black cloth bag.
He seemed a bit suspicious and l discreetly followed him, even hiding at the end of the aisle and peeping round at him! He was now at the end of the store near to the exit but he was hovering looking at the shelves

It was at that moment, l realised what a busy body l was and l felt really ashamed.
Ashamed, that l had even taken the time to follow him, to judge him as he could’ve been completely innocent but just acting dodgy.

So what if he was shoplifting? Tesco’s supermarkets don’t even belong to me, why should l care?
Look at their profits, millions of pounds they make out of us customers. They wouldn’t miss the loss of what the man, may have, or may not have been stealing.

I never found out if he paid for the stuff. I was more worried that l had acted like a store detective and was policing the store.
Silly busybody old crow!! I blame the lockdowns for giving me more time on my hands.

What would you have done? Would you have done the same but pursued him to see if he did pay for the goods?

Feel free to give me a good pasting.... l deserve it!!

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

I was leaving morrisons store and as I did so in front of me was a smartly dressed young woman pushing a trolley towards the exit the trolley full capacity and nothing bagged up . Something clicked inside me and I watched her start to leave the shop , I called a shop assistant and said , shes a shop lifter there are no bags , he said , no madam some customers dont use bags , I said get the manager now . I started to slowly follow her about 30 feet back being cautious and not staring , the manager came to me , then the woman knew she was done for so she turned back towards the shop and returned . I left at this time .

I phoned the shop later the manager had followed her as she dumped items anywhere then left the trolley behind . He told me the stock still in the trolley totalled £200 and that was without the dumped items . I was offered a job as security but I declined . I got a bottle of wine

Yes I will always report a shoplifter. There have been times in my life when i didnt know how to feed my kids but I paid for every item .

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

Certainly I would alert a member of staff if I had strong suspicions that someone was thieving.

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

Same here. I wouldn't play at being detective though..there are too many nutters out there!

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

ooooh arrrrrrrrrrrrr the mind boggles at the thought

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

Me too .....

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

Dobbed him in without a moment's hesitation. It's a no brainer. Actually done so on several occasions.

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

As a big lad in my younger days, the store detectives where I worked (all female) used to get me to come with them when they collared a shoplifter. I loved seeing their horror-struck faces when they got caught by us and then later when the police came for them. It always gave me great satisfaction to see thieving gits suffer.

One store was in a quite posh area and the manager didn't call the police - he went one better. He'd take the offender to the checkouts, shout to the customers that he had an announcement to make and then point to the thief and say that he just wanted everyone to be aware of who the thief was. If they saw the thief in another store they could tell the staff they had a thief in their store. The shame of the thief was written all over their face and they sometimes cried because there were women looking at them who knew who they were. Quite the technique to keep thieves out!

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

I know some of the staff in our local Tesco, I usually have a nag or a bit of banter with them. If I was certain I'd seen a shoplifter I would have a discreet word with one of them and tell them what I saw...You need to be sure though, I think the worst thing would be to finger someone only to find out they were legit... Humble pie is not my favourite dessert...

I have chipped in though, in the past, to help pay for someone's shopping when they didn't have enough money to pay for all their items. They were in front of me in the queue and were very embarrassed by having to sort out what they had to put back...
I'm just a big softie really.....

Re: If You Thought Someone Was Shoplifting.. Would You Follow Them Around In The Store?

I may have done in the past,but if I HAVE to go to a supermarket these days I make sure I'm in & out within 15 min's so I don't pay attention to what other shoppers are up to...Hey Art what would You have done if the Guy You were following dobbed You into the staff because You were acting suspiciously?...put Yer hands up and empty Yer bag Lady