Falsely accused someone of theft in retail position

Do you work directly for the client or for a company?

I worked in that game for a few years, incidents like this usually end in dismissal of the security guard.

Hate Actually wrote: »

I think this may be the end of me. It's security I'm in. The guy I replaced did this and as far as I know he was booted for that reason. They were two ladies from the travelling community I think. When they showed me the receipt one of them said "I'm going to a solicitor about you". They then went back into the store to complain to a manager about me. As far as I'm aware they said "this store is going down for the likes of this" to the manager.

If it was done to me I'd definitely be pursuing the matter. I haven't spoken to my supervisor yet about it, but they're likely already looking for my replacement. The only argument I could possibly make would be that I am new and learning.

If you made a mistake own up to it ... but be sure first it wasn’t a scam those girls were playing.
I have a friend who works in retail Security and he has seen incidences where one person would place an item in pocket while in the shop but doesn’t leave shop and puts the item back in another part of the shop while the second person purchased the same item and has receipt both leave the shop in the hope shop worker or security will follow them out and accuse them of theft only for them to produce proof of purchase.

Yeah sorry dude. I worked in security for over 12 years and would train lads, I hate to tell you but this is worst case scenario stuff. You never ask someone for a receipt, you only approach them once they’ve left the premises and you’re 100% certain (learn ASCONE by heart if you plan to stay working in the field) they have stuff on them to the point that you know exactly where it is. When you approach them you inform them of why you’re approaching them and give them instructions to return to the store, then you recite their rights and get information in as professional manner as the situation will allow. I could tell you horror stories of lads who got it right and still ended up getting legal action taken against them for tiny mistakes, it’s such a minefield and there’s absolutely zero margin for error.

Where I’d go from here is asking your boss for email clarification on if any measures will be taken. Try make them commit and give you a written reason if they do decide to dismiss you, your only advantage is that most security companies are poorly run and HR gaffes like this happen all the time, so they may cock up your dismissal. But they’re also somewhat aware of this and often back down once you put them in a corner. If they like you otherwise, they may just move you to another client. So you may be okay. But for god’s sake learn ASCONE by heart tonight, learn exactly what you can and can’t do and, if ever in doubt, let them go because the stress you’re feeling now is a consequence of acting rashly and getting it wrong.

Xwebstar wrote: »

Security doesn't recite people's rights

That's a Garda's job

You don’t need to read full Miranda rights, but yes you do need to tell them why they’re being held and that they’re not obliged to say anything but what they say may be used against them. You’re arresting someone and denying them their liberty against their will, you have responsibilities and charges can be dropped if you don’t abide by them. You can’t just drag someone into a manager’s office and dump them there without explanation (though yes, bad officers will do this and worse. I once had a store security manager try order me to break someone’s fingers because he wouldn’t put down his phone).

Hate Actually wrote: »

You mean to say that I could refuse to quite until I get a letter, in the hope that their HR will forget to write the letter, and then somehow everybody will forget that I was meant to be fired.

Not to mention the fact that I'm well aware of what the reason is, and it's a very good one. I was told many times not to stop anyone.

What? Why would you quit over this? That would make everyone else’s job so easy, then you’d be out of a job, likely get no reference and have to start from scratch without an income when you mightn’t even end up getting sacked from this. I’m giving you an option where you can have some control over whether you continue to work in this job by trying to make them play their hand before they’ve fully prepared. If they tell you that they’re not taking the matter further, then you can rest easy because if they go back on it you have a case for unfair dismissal.

Mysterypunter wrote: »

I agree, but leaving home at 6:30, getting home at 9 pm, no travel expenses, 5 hours travel, wouldn't make me very motivated. **** work ethic, pay peanuts get monkeys. I put in a shift OK, but wasn't motivated. It was their way or go home

I hear what you’re saying but it really is what you make of it. I was happy to leave it and am much happier in my new gig, and trust me I dealt with a lot of ****tiness right up until my final day, but I don’t look back on it as that bad.

Do a good job, build strong relationships with clients, network with people within the industry so you’re aware of other opportunities that could come up...that builds you leverage you can use to get decent jobs in places you’re appreciated and happy. By the end of my time I worked close to 9-5, picked my days off, got paid at a higher rate than most if not all, and would work a couple of hours on a site and generally got approached about being there full time so had loads of options. Whereas yeah, the lads who’d show up and just collect a wage would often be put in crappy places on ridiculously long hours: that kills their moral and it feeds itself. But you can make it work for yourself with high pro-activity.

leggo wrote: »

Then you can just stand in front of them until they use force to remove you, at which stage you’re entitled to use reasonable force to defend yourself up to and including restraining them until the Gardai arrive because you were in fear for your safety while doing your job and requesting they give the goods they’ve stolen back.

False imprisonment is a crime. Security guards in Ireland have the exact same powers of detention as the 16 year old girl on the checkout. That is, they have zero powers. Only guards can legally detain someone, unless you get into citizens arrests but no security guard in their right mind would go that route.

If you're stopped by a security guard, best thing to do is voluntarily give them your name and phone number and walk away. They can then call the guards who can follow up with you if they wish. You have no obligation to go back into the store, empty your pockets, show the security guard inside your bag or even engage with them if you don't want to.

Lads you’re talking crap, stop guessing the law. Asking someone to come back to the store and then complying, or standing in front of them on a street and defending yourself if they assault you isn’t a crime you absolute nutcases. :pac:

MartDublin wrote: »

Correct, asking somebody to come back to the store isn't a crime. They don't have to pay any attention to you though, it's the same situation as if some random guy in the street asked you to accompany them somewhere. Blocking somebody in the street I suppose isn't technically a crime either but I don't get what good it would do you apart from making you look like a fruitloop.

Edit: I initially read it as the security guard would stand in front of the person to stop them leaving the shop. That would of course be illegal.

Yep it would, that’s not how stops are done as it doesn’t apply to ASCONE (go on, have a Google there and pretend you knew that all along ). And I dunno how you view situations, but when I see a security guard stopping someone in the street, I don’t think they’re the looper in the scenario, which is why you absolutely have to be right.

But yeah lads, you can say “oh I’d do this and this” but really that’s just bluster and pub talk and let’s anyone who’s been in the situation know how much you don’t understand. In the real world it works because people who steal and realise they’ve been caught **** themselves and panic, so once you’re experienced and have common sense it’s easy to take control of the situation and guide it to its natural conclusion, ideally calmly and professionally. The professional thieves realise they’re done and go along but generally give back the goods immediately, play dumb, make a scene to try embarrass you into letting them go, pretend to be sick etc, because they understand that resisting could get them in more trouble (petty theft isn’t a big deal, theft and assault is, so your plan is dumb because you’re going to end up needing to assault someone). I can count on one hand in 12 years the amount of times I needed to use any physicality and it was only ever in self-defence.