I have been charged with not scanning all the items at a supermarket self service checkout. I believed I scanned all items and looking at the video footage the supermarket gave the police I can’t see what I’ve done wrong. As I’m not a thief this has killed my spirit. Has anyone else been in my situation and that did you do?
9 Replies
Seek legal advice immediately. Secondly, if you did not do anything wrong then just be honest and back yourself. It will be okay
They would have enough to charge you if the items you got don't match what you paid. Make a list of what you bought and how much it would have cost, look up sales for that week etc, then check it against your bank statement. If there's a difference chances are you haven't scanned everything.
If you genuinely didn't do anything wrong and the evidence supports that, the case will be thrown out and you can move on with your life. Personally, I think self serve checkouts are dodgy as hell and they are killing the customer service industry. Food is also way too expensive so when I see a theft take place in a major supermarket, I mind my damn business...
However, I am a retail manager and your situation is very unusual. It's actually really hard to do anything about shoplifters without significant evidence, I have repeat offenders I can't get rid of! The cops (in my experience at least) generally don't want to hear about theft unless it was a major/aggressive incident, which I get, because they don't have endless resources to be chasing down petty theifs.
It might also be worth considering why you were targeted. Your demeanor or appearance may have caused a team member to unfairly profile you as a shoplifter.
I'm not saying any of this in an accusatory or judgmental way, I'm just sharing my insight really. I do also know what if feels like to be wrongfully accused (I was humiliated in a dollar store at the age of 18, 2 days after I'd come home from giving birth to my son). It does hurt but it's more of a reflection of society than you as an individual.
I was accused of stealing in my teens and followed around shops by staff. As a result I still to this day as a 43 year old respectful member of the community, feel like a criminal while shopping lol. I do a lot of things to stop me looking suspicious like never reaching into my bag, never stand too close to shelves to block views, I make eye contact and say hello to staff if they are passing me but I don't look around me while shopping as that makes you look like you're sussing out who is watching you. If I use self serve I make sure staff can see what I'm doing and I haven't blocked views, I also keep my receipts and show my bag to staff on the way out.
I was accused of theft as a teen, by a 'friend's' bestie, after 'friend' was busted shoplifting, to deflect from the thief. It worked because the thief's parents instead focussed on me. My DM had a go at me, then couldn't be bothered dealing with it so dropped it. I never had a chance to prove my innocence. To this day I am extremely cautious in shops, too. I always offer up bags & keep handbags zipped etc. It's amazing how one experience makes you so cautious.
The new self service checkouts scare me. One last week went off, red lights etc. telling me I hadn't scanning something, like I was trying to steal. The staff member (who knew me as a regular) shrugged it off, scanned her card to stop it & said the cameras are not accurate & I had moved my body or scanned something the wrong way. It might even have been resting my phone on the scan pad then putting it in my bag!
What burns me is I've actually reported someone stealing in the supermarket - blatantly shoving items down pants, in the aisle, and zero was done. The manager just watched them leave!! Real.thieves will just steal this way instead of the checkout.
Original commenter here:
Like I said, some retail staff will make unfair and inaccurate assumptions about you. Some are on a power trip and just decide for whatever reason that you're shifty. It's not okay but it happens...
Teenagers do tend to cop this a lot which is is interesting because while teenagers might partake in the occasional opportunistic theft, the vast majority of them aren't doing anything wrong.
It might also surprise you to know that most shoplifters aren't actually that brazen, some don't care that you've seen them - those are the type of people who are stealing to survive and have nothing to lose. People who are stealing out of greed are a lot more sneaky and calculated! Stealing/dishonesty at self serve checkouts is a big problem, that's why supermarkets have implemented cameras and security gates etc.
Also, as disheartening as it is when management seems to do nothing about a theif, most likely they're more concerned about their personal safety that the loss of a little bit of product because it can actually be dangerous confronting a shoplifter. Better to just let security or police deal with it.
The brazen thief was stealing chocolate, with their kids/partner beside them so not a desperately needed item. I agree with the staff not doing anything, in order to protect themselves. It's not worth their safety.
I don't mind security technology if it works properly. It just doesn't.
I find this situation odd too. The amount of people brazenly stealing and getting away with it and this person is accused of not scanning everything. Unless it was half a trolley or something... most of the time the staff and police do zilch about it.
Strange events and hard to believe, but if you're gonna steal leave those few items in your trolley and scan the rest. Let's see who this comment triggers. I won't be checking back in, so argue it amongst yourselves.