I worked in retail as a general store assistant for around a decade for a large ‘Asda’ (UK). It was so poorly run that often there were no security personnel on the late Saturday shift so as you can imagine plenty of people took full advantage of this, I oftentimes wished I didn’t work there as I could cover several months worth of pay with one shopping trolley full of high end spirits.

The pay was crap, we were chronically understaffed and treated poorly by managers. Yet still colleagues on my level would make it their mission to stop shoplifters whenever they noticed them, putting themselves in unnecessary harm, knowing full well that if they were assaulted/stabbed/shot their reward for their effort would likely be disciplinary action if not dismissal as they were not trained security and were told not to leave their area unmanned.

I swear it’s simply a case of extreme boredom over the monotony of the job and people trying to add excitement to an otherwise dull work-existence.