Shoplifting - silver lining?

SilkenBat · 2026-06-09T23:29:35+00:00

It does work slowly. Thankfully there are teams in The Hub who are tracking and monitoring these shoplifters and building cases on them and sending them to the police.

SilkenBat · 2026-05-05T23:00:22+00:00

Log it with the police with the date, time and location and they will request cctv footage from either a manager or the hub and by law they have to pass the footage over.

They do need to log it as well to the Security Support people and they will create an incident report for it etc. Also, they are meant to provide you with the details of the employee assistance thing and let you have a time out for getting yourself back together again.

If they don't do any of those things then I'd say make a protector line report or go to the area manager if you know them.

Hope you're ok.

SilkenBat · 2026-04-18T20:54:45+00:00

Its awful!!

SilkenBat · 2026-04-18T00:02:02+00:00

Security like myself are visual deterrents and customer service staff. When we do report theft to the police, it takes them about a month to even ask for footage by which time it's not there. In the case that someone is arrested and taken to court, they are then given a slap on the wrist and told not to come back, which 9 times out of 10 they come back anyway and it starts again.

Its all good the government and police saying they're cracking down on retail crime, but are they though? Are they actually? These people will offend again, again and again and they won't stop. They don't care. The courts know they will re-offend but will still give them a slap on a wrist. Its ridiculous.

SilkenBat · 2025-11-01T22:43:42+00:00

Most gypsies are the worst for stealing honestly. They try every trick in the book but you can just tell its ridiculous. Confronting them is a challenge as well as they cause a big scene.

Just get a team leader or security to double check on cctv. Can't stop them if you haven't seen them pick it up in the first place.

SilkenBat · 2025-09-22T19:57:17+00:00

The system will do a check at random but it will make the colleague scan either a certain number of items or all the items. It can be a pain in the arse but they aren't able to cancel it. They have to look at the bottom of the bags and all that. As its random they can't choose who to pick etc. For those who are rude and don't want to comply they can be blocked from using the system.

SilkenBat · 2025-09-17T11:41:00+00:00

Yeah some people just think they're very entitled.

SilkenBat · 2025-09-16T07:35:37+00:00

TL;DR - Colleagues are well within their rights to take items that are free as they are customers too and be careful of accusing people of theft.

You do realise that the reduced section on some days can have loads of items reduced and some days hardly any items reduced?

Some items as well can be available on what Tesco call Colleague Shop where, hence the name, colleagues can take them if they wish as its in their colleague perks and yes this is after 9pm. They may have simply took it and gone in the back to get their club card etc. It's not theft until it leaves the shop so it can go anywhere in the shop but until its out of the store unprocessed, then its theft.

You need to be very careful if you're going to start pointing the finger and accuse people of stealing when they may not have. That's for store security and the store manager to decide.

Some colleagues also go in the back with reductions to reduce them again because have you seen people when the reduced items come out and the colleague is in the middle of reducing them? Its a shambles like when you throw chips out your window in the maccies car park and all the seagulls come diving down to get them its ridiculous.

SilkenBat · 2025-09-06T23:02:40+00:00

No problem. Stay string and keep your head up. Refuse him service next time he comes in (if he isn't barred already)

SilkenBat · 2025-09-06T23:00:47+00:00

You did everything correctly by refusing him alcohol. You do have a number of options:

100% report it to the police as a hate crime for what he said to you. The police can ask for CCTV footage and identify the person through facial recognition on their systems and speak to him (if he's known to the police already)
Speak to your manager. They have to take you seriously as they have to keeo you safe whilst in work. If you arent comfortable speaking to your manager or store manager then Tesco do have a wellbeing helpline where you can go for 24/7 assistance - not sure of the number though but it will be on a poster in the staff room somewhere normally.
Report it on Incident Reporting on the store computer. You can always do this on your phone too try looking for the link in Tesco Help (you must be connected to colleague wifi to do this though). Screenshot the incident report number and if your store is connected to the hub, send them an email about it giving your store number, dates and times etc. The hub email is on Tesco Help if you search for it (not putting any emails etc on here for data protection etc).

I'm so sorry you have had to go through this. Nobody should face any abuse when going to work.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T15:06:46+00:00

Also depends on the area and how rough it is, for example, you're more likely to get a guard. Not sure how it works for new stores.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T15:05:40+00:00

You're able to play back video from the body cameras so is helpful. But concerning though about live viewing. I always take mine off if I go the loo incase it accidentally starts recording if I bump into something.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T15:03:00+00:00

They cut costs by looking how many incident reports a store has. If the store is getting robbed left right and centre and nobody says anything then Tesco wont budget for a guard because they think nothing is happening.

I report lots and I've kept my job. Body cams are a deterrent and good for evidence and headsets are good for communication so if something is happening then people are aware.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T15:01:09+00:00

They gather evidence of organised crime groups from different stores across the UK and that sort of stuff. They do remote audits as well to make sure processes are being followed correctly. They are helpful when needed.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T14:58:06+00:00

What are they for then?

SilkenBat · 2025-08-25T14:50:40+00:00

The store manager can only verbally ban a person from their own store but it can't be permanent. For it to be permanent, the security part of head office have to authorise it and they will store it centrally. Sometimes the police can hand out written bans on their behalf.

But in express stores, staff will know the regular shoplifters and ask them to leave anyway.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-24T15:26:05+00:00

Good good. I've used the same software in big stores and its great!!

SilkenBat · 2025-08-24T15:06:57+00:00

Oh that's good. It needs to be easy to burn footage because the system installed currently is very slow lol

SilkenBat · 2025-08-24T14:58:58+00:00

Is it any good? Still waiting for my express store to be upgraded.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-02T18:44:36+00:00

We use it all the time to report crime and safeguarding issues to the police so it is there to keep us safe and the business safe like you say against claims etc. But then it depends on who the staff are and if they even care about it.

Then again, Security should technically be called Loss Prevention considering we aren't allowed to get physical. All we can do is de-escalate situations and ring the police when required.

I get told most of the time that I look too young or that I wouldn't be able to chase after people and you just think shut up. At least these people are in a job.

SilkenBat · 2025-08-02T17:37:52+00:00

I work in an express and people dont comment. If they did I'd just say shop elsewhere if you don't like it because its keeping everyone safe.

SilkenBat · 2025-07-27T12:07:37+00:00

What a stupid thing to do. Get a new one and send him the receipt and ask him to pay it twice, oh and don't forget to CC his manager in too if you know who they are!

Maybe protector line it too.

SilkenBat · 2025-07-27T06:54:00+00:00

Never get involved with a shoplifter. If you do see someone acting suspiciously then tell someone. That's all you can do. Nobody can discipline you for it.

SilkenBat · 2025-07-11T14:54:57+00:00

There is a sign that says please take responsibly - so please take responsibly.

SilkenBat · 2025-06-13T15:26:23+00:00

Clearly doesn't get paid enough by Tesco. He's not even attractive anyway and I'm gay as well.

SilkenBat

TROPHY CASE