Why Do Some Places Even Bother...

Kintarō Hattori

... having security that is?
I was just in the Centra on Bolton/North King Street. A group of shifty looking lads from the area somwhere in their mid to late teens breezed in and made their way over to the alcahol in front of the checkout.
The shop was rather busy at the time but the security guard was nowhere too be seen. He was on the door either talking to someone casually or I suspect having a smoke. As I was queuing one of the guys slipped a few alcopops in under his jacket which was around his arm and made his way out of the shop completely unhindered.

In fairness the normal security guy there is a Pole and he's excellent, always following anyone suspicous around the store, but it was some Dublin guy tonight.
I made my way over to him afterwards and asked him if a guy with X type of jacket had passed him on the way out. 'No I don't know anyone like that'. I told him that he had just shoplifted. 'Oh we'll keep an eye out for him in the future'.

Really, he never battered an eyelid when they came in and was either talking or I suspect smoking as there was a smell from him when I was talking to him.

MooseJam

fair play to the shifty looking lads for getting the five finger discount, those alcopops are a rip off

de5p0i1er

Some ppl just do there job half assed. He's only in it for the paycheck, he'll just stand there and get payed for doing as little as possible and not care about what happens around him as long as he still gets payed.

spurious

How do you know they were from the area?

Security guards are only there aas a deterrent to non-criminal types.
If I was a security guard, I certainly would not risk my life by challenging someone who could be off their face and carrying a weapon to save Centra the price of an alcopop.

Kintarō Hattori

How do you know they were from the area?

Because I live in the area.

Sofaspud

I went to school with a guy who used to test this, he'd go into the shop, pick up a packet of sweets or something (usually the more expensive bigger packs) and walk out of the shop, throwing it from hand to hand, straight past the security guard. ne'er a word was spoken.

Why rely on the security guard? Why not do something yourself?

Or more to the point... why do you care? I can't believe you actually went up to the security guard and tattled on a stranger. Seriously, some people have little to do.

Kintarō Hattori

Deleted User wrote:

Why rely on the security guard? Why not do something yourself?

Because I'm not paid for the job?!

Kintarō Hattori

Deleted User wrote:

Or more to the point... why do you care? I can't believe you actually went up to the security guard and tattled on a stranger. Seriously, some people have little to do.

Well:

A - I had to pay for my goods
B - More thievery pushes up prices

fjon

I believe it's for insurance reasons too. If something large gets nicked and you don't have a security guy (regardless of whether he's useless or not) you may have a hard time claiming anything.

eo980

eo980 wrote:

Because I'm not paid for the job?!

If it bothered you so much though.

Kintarō Hattori

It didn't bother me so much, I'm merely asking a question.

seamus

Deleted User wrote:

Why rely on the security guard? Why not do something yourself?

Because confronting a little piece of **** will usually get you little more than a broken nose. Especially if he's with his mates.

Kintarō Hattori

seamus wrote:

Especially if he's with his mates.

Which he was!

Agamemnon

Well now you know what to do, eo980: next time you pop down to Centra, bring knuckle-dusters, two iron bars, a samurai sword and a shotgun and deal with the feckers yourself.

Attol

I think it's ridiculous that so many people seem ok with shoplifting. A security guard is paid to catch shoplifters so he should have been doing his job. It's not the OP's fault the guy got away with it. Would you be happy to see some idiot walking out without paying for his goods while you're paying for yours?

Kintarō Hattori

agamemnon wrote:

Well now you know what to do, eo980: next time you pop down to Centra, bring knuckle-dusters, two iron bars, a samurai sword and a shotgun and deal with the feckers yourself.

Hmnnn perhaps not. I don't fancy spending a few years locked up due to some gobsh*t.

challengemaster

Attol wrote:

I think it's ridiculous that so many people seem ok with shoplifting.

Agreed... sad sad days...:(

Ghost Train

can see why it would bug you, because there's a guy there to stop it happening and right in front of you, you see it happening.

i'd try not to worry about it, its the shop keepers problem, he hires the guy, if the guy is crap the shop looses out. eventually they might realise they need a better guy

pity its so easy for shoplifters, only means there's going to be more of the scumbags doing it, but there lives are probably pretty f***ed anyway, so things probably balance out

xebec

eolhc wrote:

i'd try not to worry about it, its the shop keepers problem, he hires the guy, if the guy is crap the shop looses out. eventually they might realise they need a better guy

Or the shop could close because the profits are walking out the door and then the OP is without a shop!

Or the shop could close because the profits are walking out the door and then the OP is without a shop!

A bit over dramatic there... this is the city centre we're talking about here. You can't move for shops.