Crazy Customer

retailworker7 · #1 09-20-2011, 12:39 AM

Long Sorry!

This happened today. I still feel bad for my co-worker.

Two customer are near the front register. One person is still shopping and in the process of picking up items. Another customer walks up to the cash register. The cashier starts ringing her up. The 2nd customer who was still shopping decided that the other customer cut in front of her. This woman decides to start yelling and screaming at the top of her lungs at my co-worker and her customer.

The angry customer then decides to launch her items at my co-workers face. She actually wound up with a small cut on her lip. My boss and I were both in the stock-room when this whole thing started. We are both walking back out on the floor because we can hear two people yelling. My co-worker pages my boss to the register "immediately." I can tell something is wrong with my co-worker because of the tone of her voice. I walked up to the register to ask if she was ok and volunteered to take over. This crazy women launched merchandise at my co-worker twice. She decides she is going to start screaming at me because she claims her bags of candy were to difficult to get off the rack. My boss is still standing up by the register. This women is claiming the merchandise was launched by accident. I am watching for other customers but I have placed myself so that there is a large item rack in front of my face. This women decides she is going to show my boss what happened. She bounces a box of tampons off the counter right at where I would normally have been standing.

This is the 3rd time this women has launched merchandise. My boss took everything away from her at this point. She is still arguing with the other customer who had immediately called the police on her cell phone. The 1st customer wanted to stick around because she wanted to make sure my co-worker is ok. She was also trying to wait for the police but had to leave to go to work. She did give my manager her contact information to give to the police.

Our other cashier comes back from lunch. The crazy customer is going in and out of the store while we are waiting for the police. My boss was afraid she was going to take off and disappear. So my boss asked me to try to get her license plate number if she tried to take off. I ran and got my smokes out of my locker and the assistant manager handed me a camera in case I needed it. I decided I would just act like I was going out on a smoke break. Fortunately the police showed up the minute I went outside and she went to go talk to them.

This crazy lady actually had the nerve to have to police ask my boss if she could leave her car there since she was arrested. My boss told the police she did not want that woman on the property again and her car was towed out of out lot.

All of this is on video tape and my co-worker is pressing charges. Everything is on video tape. I have seen the video myself. This all happened so quickly my poor co-worker had no chance at avoiding getting hit in the face.

They also added that she tried to hit me and miss to all the reports. My boss did not realize she missed me. She asked me if I was ok. I told her that I saw it coming and stayed out of the way.

Anyone else have this happen?

dragon_wings · #2 09-20-2011, 12:49 AM

Omg! More reason to get the f*ck outta retail! *hugs* to your coworker. I'm glad she's pressing charges.

retailworker7 · #3 09-20-2011, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Quoth dragon_wings

Omg! More reason to get the f*ck outta retail! *hugs* to your coworker. I'm glad she's pressing charges.

Fortunately most of the customers where I work are actually really nice. Also have a good boss. My co-worker spent most of the rest of her shift at the police station. She did come back and finish her shift. She was paid for her full shift.

This why I had been lurking!!

The worst thing I normally have to deal with are people arguing over prices or getting mad because the store is not a bank so they can not buy rolls quarters to do their laundry.

Moosenogger · #4 09-20-2011, 01:44 AM

I'm so glad your co-worker is pressing charges. Maybe a few days in jail (or prison? I sure hope she goes to the actual "Big House" rather than just a holding cell) and a hefty fine will show this SC that there are consequences for throwing a violent temper tantrum in public.

ShadowTiger · #5 09-20-2011, 01:44 AM

A customer accidentally hit another customer on Sunday, from what I hear. I still have to find out what happened with that.

Sorry about the scuffle. I hope the cut heals quickly.

MoonCat · #6 09-20-2011, 02:12 AM

I can see it now: Her attorney will argue that she (1) had a "bad reaction to some medication", (2) "felt threatened"; or (3) "was under a lot of stress". Or maybe all three.

I hope your CW is OK now and the crazy woman is banned for life.

retailworker7 · #7 09-20-2011, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Quoth MoonCat

I can see it now: Her attorney will argue that she (1) had a "bad reaction to some medication", (2) "felt threatened"; or (3) "was under a lot of stress". Or maybe all three.

I hope your CW is OK now and the crazy woman is banned for life.

My co-worker seems to be fine. I should see her tomorrow. Well my boss had her car towed off the property so she will have to spend money to get her car back too.

Yes this crazy women is definitely banned from the store and the police would be called if she is dumb enough to come back.

BeenThereDoneThat · #8 09-20-2011, 05:35 AM

to CS! Wow, I'm so sorry your co-worker was injured by that lunatic. I hope she gets what's coming to her.

Android Kaeli · #9 09-20-2011, 07:42 AM

I've heard this story from other co-workers when I worked at Taco Hell but a customer got angry at one of my co-workers at the time and threw sour cream at her. Thankfully she had ducked out of the way, I believe that customer was banned from the store after that.

Did have another throw a pack of beads in the general direction of the cashiers a long while ago. Reason? Because she was told she had to wait in line while us back-up cashiers helped the people who were waiting the longest in line.

BrenDAnn · #10 09-20-2011, 10:00 AM

OMG. Every retail worker's worst nightmare right there. The worst i had was a guy threw a disposable camera at me--well, between my former assistant manager and I, since we both moved fast enough--because he was pissed that we wouldn't take it back without a receipt. I'm glad you're alright, and I hope your coworker is too, and that she fights to make sure crazy lady is punished to the fullest, or at least taken off the streets so she can't harm anyone else!