Yeah, I'm 16,your point being?

[Estil]

Talk about counterproductive. The door alarms would be going off all the time because of cashiers forgetting to de-magnetize tags.

Not to mention the amount of time needed to deactivate tags when every item in a large order is tagged.

Pretty soon nobody would take the alarms seriously because they were going off all the time, so nobody would bat an eye when a big theft was going on.

Our store is just like that. We don't tag everything but our alarms CONSTANTLY cry wolf (and has for the past three years I've been there) and I'm sure you all know that story about the boy who cried wolf and what happened when a wolf really did come.

[redmountaingoldfish]

I think LP should focus on elderly customers as well.

I don't even want to remember how many elderly SCs stole candy from the grocery store (the ones that are charged by the pound that you put in little bags) and got away with it because everyone swore up and down that the "freak" looking teenagers were trying to steal stuff.

This happened to me when I was 16. At the grocery store there's a scale in the bulk candy isle where you weigh your own candy and it prints out the label with the price and barcode to stick on the bag (I don't know how standard this is). Well I'm buying four bags of candy for a school project and nothing else. I see that when the cashier is weighing each bag despite me having already stuck labels on all of them. The first three bags go through just fine, but lo and behold, the fourth bag comes up costing ONE PENNY more than my sticker says. The cashier just grins at me like she's caught some mastermind shoplifter, and goes.

C: This one rang up for more than the tag says.
M: Yeah, but by only a penny.
C: You really shouldn't weigh the bag until your done filling it. (Very indignat) Well, do you have anything to say for yourself?
(note: I didn't try to sneak any extra candy)
M: *shrugs, as I'm running late for school and am not going to argue over being accused of stealing a penny*

I get my candy and go on my merry way. I really wish I had thought of some witty comeback, or taken the time to explain that had I really added even a single extra laffy taffy, the price would have gone up by more than a penny.

[Tigress]

C: This one rang up for more than the tag says.
M: Yeah, but by only a penny.
C: You really shouldn't weigh the bag until your done filling it. (Very indignat) Well, do you have anything to say for yourself?
(note: I didn't try to sneak any extra candy)
M: *shrugs, as I'm running late for school and am not going to argue over being accused of stealing a penny*

I get my candy and go on my merry way. I really wish I had thought of some witty comeback, or taken the time to explain that had I really added even a single extra laffy taffy, the price would have gone up by more than a penny.

Throw her a quarter and say "Keep the change. You obviously need it more than me."

Or hand her the largest bill you have and make her triple count the change, just to "make sure" she doesn't shortchange you a penny.

Ask her to call over a manager and make him/her count your change to make sure the cashier didn't shortchange you because she made such a big deal over a penny on the sticker.

[PepperElf]

some of those places even do it when you're an adult.

i don't know why but... i remember wandering around aimlessly in farmfresh and some manager insisted on knowing what i was looking for...

that bothered me cos... yes i pay for my stuff.
jerks.

[hinakiba777]

When I was younger my brother would get followed by workers at stores. This was when I was 9 and he was 12. Before I continue I'd like to offer a few facts:
-We were on vacation so I wasn't used to this grocery store
- My parents were in the bakery(other side of the building)
-The store unifrom was a waist apron and a name tag
-I was (and still am at times) a really sensitive little girl. Strangers freak me out sometimes
-The guy was kind of freaking my brother out a bit
-He looked angry

So we got to the store and my parent went off to pick up some bread and sticky buns. They sent my brother and I to get chips, juice, maybe a pizza. So I'm wandering around with little shopping baket, and my brothers arms are filled with chips. We run over and drop all the stuff in the cart, before heading out to get the drinks. Once we get the the chip aisle the stock boy or whatever appears, and starts following us.

This aggrivates my brother, who knows what's going on. I, on the other hand, only notice that an angry teenager is stalking me and my very bothered looking older brother. By the time we reached the freezers I was really scared. So I put down my basket and confronted him.

9 year old me= *tearful* Why *sob* are you *whimper* chasing me?!

Then I started crying in the middle of the store. All the other customers turned and watched. Then my parents and the manager came running.

9YM=nine year old me
BB= Big brother
D= Daddy
M= Manager
SB= Store Boy

D= Oh, sweetie pie, why are you crying in the store?
9YM= *points at SB* He...and we... and he. *bawls*
BB= SB was following 9YM around because he thought we were going to shoplift
D= *to M* Is this true?
M= Well we're on the look out for suspicious characters.
D= My son and his baby sister are suspicious?
M= Well, you can never be too careful. You see I....
9YM= *to D* Daddy, *sniffle* am I a bad kid? Is that why the scary guy is following BB and I? *sniffles louder* I'm sorry daddy. I don't want to be a bad kid. *resumes using my dad's T-shirt as a Kleenex*
D= BB could you take your sister out to the car. *ToM* I think we'd like to just pay for our purchases now.

Another time I was accused of shoplifting at a store. They made me leave my jacket and teeny tiny purse at the checkout. Then they let in a woman with this massive duffel bag sized thing in the store. I was wearing pocketless slacks and form fitting T-shirt. When I was walking out of the store, at the same time as the old woman, the security alarm went off. I got stopped and the old woman waddled off.

[CancelMyService]

I once got accused of shoplifting at the leather store (coats, you pervs ) for wearing my full length leather trenchcoat *into* the store. Nevermind that it wasn't even close to any of the styles that store sells, I was a 20 year old with long hair so obviously I was up to no good.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I used to get followed as a teenager because I dressed funky.

However the weirdest was when I was about 23, I got followed around a Museum.

Yes a Museum. I have no idea why.

I had just moved to Phoenix and I got in touch with an old friend who was living there. He came to see me and we decided to go to some downtown museum, because we were both into that sort of thing. So off we went. I was wearing a short Catholic schoolgirl type skirt, but other than that I looked pretty normal. Steven was tall, skinny, bald and wore glasses. He looked kind of Hipster dorkyish.

The security guard stared at me as soon as we walked to the front door, and then he followed us inside. And he followed me around the *entire* museum, stopping when I stopped at exhibits, not even trying to hide himself. I don't know what he thought he was doing, if he thought I was going to deface some exhibit, or what, but it was really weird. He literally followed me, not taking his eyes off me, until we walked out the door and got back into Steven's car.

I have never figured out what that was all about.

[Sylvia727]

I find it kind of hilarious to be followed by LP as long as they're discrete about it. When I run errands after work, I'm typically wearing dress slacks and a polo, with my hair put up nicely and my face made up professional-looking. On my days off, I wear dark cargo pants or bondage pants with the straps removed, a black tee, a bandana over my hair, and heavy make-up. Bonus points if there are skulls or flames anywhere on my clothes. On work days, the employees treat me kindly and professionally, and often go the extra mile to help me out. On my free days, I get followed around the store or eyed suspiciously, and the cashier is often bare-minimum polite to me. It cracks me up.

This is usually only at larger stores. At smaller stores where they know me, I get the same treatment everyday.

[morgana]

I was wearing a short Catholic schoolgirl type skirt, but other than that I looked pretty normal.

The security guard stared at me as soon as we walked to the front door, and then he followed us inside. And he followed me around the *entire* museum, stopping when I stopped at exhibits, not even trying to hide himself. I don't know what he thought he was doing, if he thought I was going to deface some exhibit, or what, but it was really weird. He literally followed me, not taking his eyes off me, until we walked out the door and got back into Steven's car.

I have never figured out what that was all about.

Perv with a schoolgirl fetish, would be my guess.

[Emrld]

When my sister turned 16 my parents got each of us credit cards issued in our names. (I was 14)
Due to the fact of our age the company had us set up a series of questions to answer over the phone to validate who we were.
I was in a teen store and went to use the card. Clerk asked for Drivers License. I explained that I was 14 and didn't have one, however if she would like to call the number on the back of the card they could validate who I was. Instead she called security to acuse me of stealing a credit card.
When they showed up I very calmily explained that the card was mine and that I could validate over the phone. Security insisted the clerk call the company . . .the clerk didn't want to had the phone to me. She wanted to aks me the questions and relay the answer. CC company had to explain to her that would prevent it being safe for me. Just because she would hear the answers she wouldn't know which questions they applied too.
I was approved . . .and security made the clerk apologize. I even went ahead and made my purchase.
The next week we went and got me a photo ID. Basically it looks like a state drivers license with a photo but, it does not allow you to drive.

[Auto]

I don't really meet any of the "bad person" stereotypes, so I don't usually get slack from employees. I did get "tailed" once, though. I stopped into the Gap. This girl asked me eight times in ten minutes if I needed any help, and when I said no, arranged nearby already-neat stacks while glancing sneakily in my direction.

On the eighth time she asked, I put a little attitude into my "No thanks". Scoffing, she replied "Well, I don't think we have anything that will fit you."

I stare down at my size 20 pants. "No duh," I replied. "I'm shopping for a friend's birthday present. I think I'll get it somewhere else though."

heh.

you should have run her a bit before leaving the store. unfolded clothes you had no intention of buying. maybe aksed her to check in the back. you know, all the stuff SC do all the time.

and then walk out w/o buying anything.

[AKWalMartCartGuy]

I've never been followed around a store(I'm 17)


but i used to be the type of person who needed following, and I wore a backpack everywhere.

if a 15 y/o and a 16 y/o wearing backpacks walk into the electronics section and start grabbing stuff off the shelves wouldn't you think they'd watch close enough that you can't stuff things in each other's backpacks? and that was before we knew they couldn't do anything if they didn't see you hide it too, now I know that if someone who paid for something goes through the door at the same time as the shoplifter, and i hear the shoplifter going "oh shit oh shit oh shit" as he grabs his pocket I can't do anything

then there are the times at that store we just walked in and took a sandwich off the shelf and walked out, LP at that store(not the one i work at, they are always wall to wall packed and I was paranoid about snitches) is pathetic

[chainedbarista]

i generally watch the behaviors (not based on age, although there are some people i recognize as problematic and keep an eye on whenever they show up); if they act strangely, it's my cue to watch them.

if not, business as usual; age has nothing to do with this, i apply it to everyone who walks in the door.

although the phrase 'can i get a water' often preceeds an attempt to steal some item, so that's something everyone keeps an eye on, especially when there's one person asking and a group of them standing around, doing nothing.

[VenomX]

I used to get followed as a teenager because I dressed funky.

However the weirdest was when I was about 23, I got followed around a Museum.

Yes a Museum. I have no idea why.

I had just moved to Phoenix and I got in touch with an old friend who was living there. He came to see me and we decided to go to some downtown museum, because we were both into that sort of thing. So off we went. I was wearing a short Catholic schoolgirl type skirt, but other than that I looked pretty normal. Steven was tall, skinny, bald and wore glasses. He looked kind of Hipster dorkyish.

The security guard stared at me as soon as we walked to the front door, and then he followed us inside. And he followed me around the *entire* museum, stopping when I stopped at exhibits, not even trying to hide himself. I don't know what he thought he was doing, if he thought I was going to deface some exhibit, or what, but it was really weird. He literally followed me, not taking his eyes off me, until we walked out the door and got back into Steven's car.

I have never figured out what that was all about.

Maybe the short Catholic schoolgirl type skirt made him follow you. You know maybe he was a perv.. :P

[Cyphr]

Being trailed is the funniest thing in the world. I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS carry my messenger bag with me, so if i notice i get trailed I start sutffing my order in the bag instead of the cart and go into the expensive itme section and look contemplative for a few minutes and then go to the register unload my cart get ready to pay and say "Oh wait! I have some items in my bag too" you get the greatest looks from LP