Op

So sorry

Ndo

No vex

Take heart ooo

Have learnt something new today

You will be fine. Thank God for life.

LegitGirl:


Assuming I didn't even have it...

Taken it all in good stride.

You'd do same if you were in their shoes. So dont sweat it.

Awww so sorry babe.

dingbang:
You'd do same if you were in their shoes. So dont sweat it.

Co-incidentally, I wouldn't. I've been in situations where it seemed that people were trying to hurt me, but for the sake of "what if that wasn't the case?" I always let it go. I care a lot about people's feelings... It's why I feel even more hurt that something like this could happen to me.

LegitGirl:


Co-incidentally, I wouldn't. I've been in situations where it seemed that people were trying to hurt me, but for the sake of "what if that wasn't the case?" I always let it go. I care a lot about people's feelings... It's why I feel even more hurt that something like this could happen to me.

hmmm.. I dont believe you!

I don't think the supermarket is in the wrong for making you pay for goods that mistakenly found its' way to your pursue. Of course, as a sign of understanding and maturity, they made you pay through your nose, instead of calling the police or apply the infamous but disturbingly common jungle justice method. Those blaming the supermarket and exonerating you forgot that countless number of cases had occurred, concerning people more wealthier than the OP.

My take: you are to be blamed. And yes, anyone in similar situation will feel awfully bad. But I think the supermarket handled the debacle in a mature and sensible way.

LegitGirl:


Co-incidentally, I wouldn't. I've been in situations where it seemed that people were trying to hurt me, but for the sake of "what if that wasn't the case?" I always let it go. I care a lot about people's feelings... It's why I feel even more hurt that something like this could happen to me.

I had to read this statement of yours twice because I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't act the same way if you were in their position.

Since you said you've been in similar situations and still found a way to keep judgement aside, then I believe you.

See, Things happen everyday to different people and even to us for us to draw lessons. Now you've learned some lessons from your experience, right?

This is Nigeria, don't blame them too much for how they acted. You kept telling them to check the cctv but they refused. What did you think would happen if they watched it? That they'd believe your story?

They could easily say it was a choreographed move by you, something to fall back on in the event you got caught. That you rehearsed it so well to look like it was an absent minded thing but in the real sense you had it planned all along.

Think from that angle for a minute. Thank God you weren't lynched or hurt in anyway. Take it as an experience and move on.

Even ordinary hallmark has lockers. Shuo. They just set you up sha. In fact everyone who walks into that place as a customer has been set up

LegitGirl:


I expected so, too. They made no provision for lockers outside... Nowhere whatsoever to keep bags.

I use shoprite or melcom (Don't know if you've melcom over there) and you keep your bag with the security guard.

Pele okay? Thank God it wasn't more than this.

@ LegitGirl

The event CCTV would have captured was you putting those items into your own bag with your hand and nothing else, absent-minded or not( Security Camera isn't a mind reader and cannot detect Intent). So you asking for a replay of the recording would be like implicating yourself.

The Attendant probably thought you really intended to walk off with the items, since you weren't paying attention to your bag, so s/he didn't call your attention to that because, that's obviously how real shoplifters act( not saying you're one)

You can't really blame anyone, just that you should be more careful next time. Had you not paid that amount requested, you would have been cuffed, seriously.
Sorry you had to experience that. Them no dey take ear hear 'thief' for Lagos, you're really lucky 'twas a supermarket it hapened. That's just how it is.

Sorry Op
Pls be careful next time.. A quick glance at your hands would have prevented all this. But thank God it wasn't more than that..



I just learnt something now.

first time nairalanders didn't make joke with someone's issue

eh ya Op


sorry u hear ba......
village people....sha...God pass una

@Legitgirl, sorry ehn... You'll get over it. It is well. Hope you still have enough money left for the month to survive on after the 5k plus was taken.

Talking from experience, lost my allawee to ponzi and I almost died of hunger that month.

Wish I was there to see it. I would have come to your rescue, be your knight in shining armor. Just kidding!

If this is the second worst day of your life, what's the first?

czarina:
@Legitgirl, sorry ehn... You'll get over it. It is well. Hope you still have enough money left for the month to survive on after the 5k plus was taken.

Talking from experience, lost my allawee to ponzi and I almost died of hunger that month.

I'm good...thanks.

LegitGirl:



I eventually paid the 5,200... And they didn't even give me the items. I really should have followed my gut and gone to Shoprite.

2 things cause is it for for you, 1)anxiety 2)you got carried away.



Next time, don't be too anxious and what ever the case, don't get carried away.

mezarddinny:
so you want them to pat you on the back for shoplifting? you get luck sey dem no hand you over to sars. you be thief, you just dey find pity for here


GBE body e

AleksAndria:
@ LegitGirl

The event CCTV would have captured was you putting those items into your own bag with your hand and nothing else, absent-minded or not. So you asking for a replay of the recording would be like implicating yourself.
The Attendant probably thought you really intended to walk off with the items, since you weren't paying attention to your bag, so s/he didn't call your attention to that because, that's obviously how real shoplifters act( not saying you're one)

You can't really blame anyone, just that you should be more careful next time. Had you not paid that amount requested, you would have been cuffed, seriously.
Sorry you had to experience that. Them no dey take ear hear 'thief' for Lagos, you're really lucky 'twas a supermarket it hapened. That's just how it is.

Honestly. In retrospect, I see that I was really just unfortunate. Very few people would have acted differently... It's a supermarket and people steal from them a lot, I guess.

It's like being caught in custody of a gun at a crime scene where someone had been shot and you try explaining that you didn't shoot the person lying on the floor.

I was overwhelmed at the time I created the thread... just needed to let it out. I felt helpless and that they were being unkind... I mean, I know full well there was a CCTV... And then highlighter and corection pen in an open bag? But no one was listening...

Could have been worse... Already putting it behind me.

makydebbie:
I use shoprite or melcom (Don't know if you've melcom over there) and you keep your bag with the security guard.

Pele okay? Thank God it wasn't more than this.

Haven't seen Melcom in Lagos... But Shoprite is just fine. Thanks.

Wow! @LegitGirl

For what it's worth, I'm so so sorry for what happened and reading about your experience makes me cringe. I definitely don't like to see people in difficult situation mentally or emotionally.

Your mistake sounds like one I myself would make. Oh God. It's very possible something like this will happen to good people. Unfortunately, if it does, we are at the mercies of those who would judge the situation.

It's perfectly understandable that you were hurt and felt the supermarket could have showed more understanding going by your initial write up. But I want to assure you that they dealt with it maturely. It could have been worse.

I dread things like this believe me sister. It would definitely shatter and mess with my head for weeks.

I know you're strong and tough. And now, you're the more wiser.

mrblessed:
I don't think the supermarket is in the wrong for making you pay for goods that mistakenly found its' way to your pursue. Of course, as a sign of understanding and maturity, they made you pay through your nose, instead of calling the police or apply the infamous but disturbingly common jungle justice method. Those blaming the supermarket and exonerating you forgot that countless number of cases had occurred, concerning people more wealthier than the OP.

My take: you are to be blamed. And yes, anyone in similar situation will feel awfully bad. But I think the supermarket handled the debacle in a mature and sensible way.

Stealing is a matter of intent. No, I'm not blaming anyone for my carelessness... the items were indeed in my bag and I put them there...And that certainly is pathetic.

My grouse is that things should be done with a human face...I've been to Blenco twice...never with a bag... I simply left my house to buy provision. Today, I had a bag because I carried a file in it...And I realised there weren't lockers to keep the bag in.
Having a human face means they should have understood they made no provision for lockers...having a human face means they should have seen from their recording that it was a purely accidental situation.
I stopped at the security point to be checked, because that's what I expected to happen...And dude told me to go. What's the duty of security at the entrance? He should have checked. When I was called back, I didn't hesitate even for a second...I didn't look guilty...I had not the faintest idea what was about to happen... Having a human face means they should have realised people make mistakes. When you were in school, didn't you ever accidentally pick your seat partner's textbook, put it in your bag and take it home? Didn't you ever get your clothes off the line only to realise you also packed your neighbour's clothes along?
Intent is the crux of the matter.
Blenco didn't put measures in place to guard against stealing... they put measures in place to get victims...deserving or undeserving.

But it's all good. I wasn't lynched...wasn't arrested... wasn't beaten. Only my feelings got hurt and I felt really unfortunate, but I'm fine now. Life gets funny at times.

jelel6:
Wow! @LegitGirl

For what it's worth, I'm so so sorry for what happened and reading about your experience makes me cringe. I definitely don't like to see people in difficult situation mentally or emotionally.

Your mistake sounds like one I myself would make. Oh God. It's very possible something like this will happen to good people. Unfortunately, if it does, we are at the mercies of those who would judge the situation.

It's perfectly understandable that you were hurt and felt the supermarket could have showed more understanding going by your initial write up. But I want to assure you that they dealt with it maturely. It could have been worse.

I dread things like this believe me sister. It would definitely shatter and mess with my head for weeks.

I know you're strong and tough. And now, you're the more wiser.

A lot wiser...trolley even if I'm buying only a toothpick... Thank you thank you.

I once had a similar experience. I went to tutor a friend in school, so we used one of LTs. So after we were done I met one of my course mate in the same LT as expected we hailed and 'whine' ourselves. So I saw he was reading a topic we just taught and I kinda understood and have a easy way of understanding the topic (EEE *02). So after I explained to him sha the other friend I came with was waiting. The guy(course mate) put his on the table and hurriedly, absentmindedly I took the Guy's thinking it was mine without knowing I already tucked mine in the pocket.....Then I was going to meet my other friend(a girl) at the LT entrance when the guy called me back that I took his phone'

@ LegitGirl.
It's okay, it happened already, just get over the whole incidence. Save this experience for when next you go shopping, sure you know what to do.

I once had a similar experience. I went to tutor a friend in school, so we used one of LTs. So after we were done I met one of my course mate in the same LT as expected we hailed and 'whine' ourselves. So I saw he was reading a topic we just taught and I kinda understood and have a easy way of understanding the topic (EEE *02). So after I explained to him sha the other friend I came with was waiting. The guy(course mate) put his on the table and hurriedly, absentmindedly I took the Guy's thinking it was mine without knowing I already tucked mine in the pocket.....Then I was going to meet my other friend(a girl) at the LT entrance when the guy called me back that I 'took his phone'......I was so ashamed of my self that day

emeraldknytt:
There is not much to be said after reading through the comments of many sensible persons. No matter how absent-minded you get, there are ethics to be abided by in a supermart or any public space, like the one you were in. How do you explain absent-mindedly putting an unpaid item inside your bag? What happened to the counter (every mart has a counter at their checkout). Trust me, that sort of disposition falls short of your age even someone much younger than you shouldn't be caught doing that. I reckon you start taking your life and every activity that surrounds it seriously. Absent-minded in a mart? That's super dumb! (I am incredibly sorry but i am awestruck).

Be careful next time, May evil be averted from us. Amen.

No truer words said. I told a friend about it...And he told me even has a very nice coffee cup he's not using... Only if I had asked him.

LegitGirl:
Now, I don't know if anyone has ever had this experience. I had the most embarrassing and blood-curdling day ever!

After my CDS today, I decided to stop by at Blenco@Addo Road, Ajah to get an insulation cup. The section was upstairs. Now, I've never gone upstairs to get anything from Blenco Supermarket...the two times I ever shopped there, it was for provision and it was downstairs.

So, today I was directed upstairs to go check out the insulation cups (I need it for tea/coffee at work). I didn't carry a basket because I was getting just one item...a cup. Looking through the counters, I saw a highlighter and correction pen and I picked them, remembering that I need a highlighter for studying.

I was holding my purse at this time. When I got to the counter for cups, the attendant started showing me the various cups they had available...I needed to open one of them to to check out the depth and mouth tip. Absent-mindedly, I dropped both the purse and highlighter into my bag (it was a very big bag, those kind of canoe-shaped bags that only have a single magnet button, so I didn't even have to look into my bag to see what I was dropping)...simply needed to free my hands. The attendant was right there with me... we continued checking for cups. They didn't have the type I wanted. I picked a flask that was very small...it was manageable since I desperately needed the cup and I told the attendant same...she said I could go downstairs to check the household section also.

On my way downstairs, I realised there was a pay point upstairs, too...the cashier asked me to drop the flask with her and I obediently did. I got to the household section and there wasn't even a single insulation cup. The one I had dropped upstairs wasn't an insulation cup, it was a mini-flask. I decided at the spur of the moment that I'd check Ajah market first to see if I'd find what I want there.

I got to the entrance/security check-point... I paused for him to check my bag and spread my hands to indicate I didn't buy anything. He signalled that I could go. The very minute I stepped past the checkpoint, he called me back. I simply assumed he had just remembered to check my bag...I innocently followed him and opened my bag...voila, the tipex and highlighter were right there!+

Honestly, I felt shocked. That was the moment I remembered I had even picked those items in the first place. The security guy immediately went to call for mopol...a lady somewhere was already laughing that a thief had been caught.

The mopol came and was stating that they'd take me to the police station...went to get his handcuffs. See, I've never had a worse nightmare...theft accusation...tipex and highlighter...handcuffs and police station. I was trying to explain and no one was even listening! They said that's what "we" all say... That the alternative was that I was going to pay a sum of 5200(five times the original price)...for correction-pen and highlighter! They were already looking at me like a petty thief...no one was listening to my explanation...they were recounting incidents of how a guy stole a condom and a rich lady stole a 7k perfume! They were trying to suggest that I was a kleptomaniac! I'd never wished more for the ground to open up and swallow me.

The mopol dude was already agitating that I should be cuffed... I told them I was going to pay the 5200, but they should play the CCTV recording and see that what I was saying was correct. They refused to play the CCTV recording and was insisting instead that I follow them to the station. I paid the 5200.

It was a very unfortunate situation that I put the pen and highlighter in my bag... I dropped my two-week old phone once in a gutter because I thought I was putting it in my bag. Humans make mistakes, can be carried away or forget things. But Blenco management is very unfair!

A big supermarket like that should have made provision for a bag locker outside...And what's the point of a CCTV if not to mitigate against losses. The minute whoever was viewing the CCTV and the staff standing with me saw that I had accidentally put the pen and highlighter into my bag, they should have alerted me. For crying out loud, I was fully dressed in my khaki... even if I was a thief, would I be so conspicuously dressed? So that I'd end up on instablog9ja with the caption... "Corper Steals A Pen and Highlighter at Supermarket!" How much do those cost? 200 naira at best!
I walked to the security point and waited to be checked...they didn't check...but the second I stepped out, they called me back and was slamming theft on me! Or I pay the sum of what was taken times five (5)!

Also, there wasn't a rules and regulation notice posted anywhere to remind customers that all items picked upstairs must be paid upstairs and not downstairs ... or that an unpaid item found in the custody of a customer would amount to payment equivalent to five times the price of such item!

I know I shouldn't expect this, but seeing from the CCTV recording that it was an accidental situation, shouldn't they have been kind enough to just quietly ask me to pay for it...or return the items?

It's just more than obvious that Blenco's management is all out to get scapegoats...And they are very far from customer-friendly...

Today stands as the second worst day of my life!

Hard luck on this, PM me to join my Lady and I for a treat to help you get over this quickly and more

LegitGirl:


I think the point where I dropped the items in my bag alongside my purse was when the attendant was giving me the cups and I needed to free my hands to check out the cups...the cups have covers like thermos flasks.

I understand but even if you don’t carry a basket like I do as well always keep the items on display we know what you intended to do but in their eyes you concealed them

Darch:


I had to read this statement of yours twice because I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't act the same way if you were in their position.

Since you said you've been in similar situations and still found a way to keep judgement aside, then I believe you.

See, Things happen everyday to different people and even to us for us to draw lessons. Now you've learned some lessons from your experience, right?

This is Nigeria, don't blame them too much for how they acted. You kept telling them to check the cctv but they refused. What did you think would happen if they watched it? That they'd believe your story?

They could easily say it was a choreographed move by you, something to fall back on in the event you got caught. That you rehearsed it so well to look like it was an absent minded thing but in the real sense you had it planned all along.

Think from that angle for a minute. Thank God you weren't lynched or hurt in anyway. Take it as an experience and move on.

Lynched because of #200? that's absurd.