If you look dodgy

MonsterCookie · 30-09-2011 6:33pm #1

Had cause to bring some clothes back to a shop recently. The day I shredded the receipt, we found out that one of the garments we had bought was faulty.

My wife rang the shop, explained the situation, and asked could we bring the garment back for an exchange even though we had no receipt. No problem, we were informed. Just call in and we will sort it out for you.

I went down to the shop immediately, asked for the girl we had spoken to on the phone and she sorted me out (by exchanging the garment for a new one, that is:D)

In speaking with her, I explained once more that I had destroyed the receipt before realising we had a problem. "oh, don't worry" she said, "it's only if you looked a bit dodgy and we thought you had stolen the clothes to begin with that we wouldn't change without the receipt".

This made a lot of sense to me, but got me thinking how one tells if someone is dodgy. I mean, should we go by stereotypes knowing that this will give us a pretty good indicator?

What signs do you lookout for?

Mickey H · 30-09-2011 6:35pm

MonsterCookie wrote: »

What signs do you lookout for?

Black and white striped overalls are generally a neddy-no-no.

orourkeda · 30-09-2011 6:35pm

How they comprae to junkies is a good start.

You have to start at the bottom

Chuck Stone · 30-09-2011 6:36pm

This type of thing

weemcd · 30-09-2011 6:36pm

This

mikemac · 30-09-2011 6:37pm

They call you bud, chief or boss

Only dodgy people do that

Turtyturd · 30-09-2011 6:40pm

If you look like more of a scumbag than the security guard you can probably consider yourself dodgy.

Saila · 30-09-2011 6:41pm

that inbred look is a good indicator

Latchy · 30-09-2011 6:41pm

MonsterCookie wrote: »

This made a lot of sense to me, but got me thinking how one tells if someone is dodgy. I mean, should we go by stereotypes knowing that this will give us a pretty good indicator?

What signs do you lookout for?

You can go by the dodgy sterotypes ok ie, the junkie look as long as we remember conmen and women comes in all disguises and not always dressed up like skangers .

Shane-KornSpace · 30-09-2011 6:43pm

as a retail worker I rely on stereotypes.
Eg. Certain foreign nationals with giant skirts (from my experience) were always worth following around the shop.
I look out for a certain Irish minority also, as 8/10 I was able to catch people trying to shoplift. ie. Putting bed clothes into a pillow pack.
When you work in retail you must rely on preventing shop lifting by observing stereotypes as majority of the time it works.
Bash me if you want, but any other retail worker here will more than likely agree.

Stained Class · 30-09-2011 6:47pm

Hands down the trakkie bottoms, missing link faces, tattoos, lots of soveriegn rings, that 'vacant' look & a propensity of addessing you as Boss, Bud,Pal etc..

pmcd22 · 30-09-2011 6:56pm

nervous.. not being able to look the person in the eyes.. doesn't just have to be clothes and accent..

Biggins · 30-09-2011 7:00pm

Stained Class wrote: »

Hands down the trakkie bottoms, missing link faces, tattoos, lots of soveriegn rings, that 'vacant' look & a propensity of addessing you as Boss, Bud,Pal etc..

The more successful ones, the professional shoplifters stay well clear of such gear in deliberateness I'm told.
They go out of their way to look bland and something that is just rarely noticed in the background most time.

paddyandy · 30-09-2011 7:12pm

Colours do oft' proclaim the man..

Logical Fallacy · 30-09-2011 7:47pm

Biggins wrote: »

The more successful ones, the professional shoplifters stay well clear of such gear in deliberateness I'm told.
They go out of their way to look bland and something that is just rarely noticed in the background most time.

Pretty much, the good ones look like normal people, speak like normal people etc. They could be any average punter.

People hug up to stereotypes because they feel like they are doing something...but while they are watching some young lad in a tracksuit walk around the shop there is a guy and his wife in fleecing them.