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!

So sorry... Just try and get over it.

Sorry darling, they should have checked the CCTV or call the person that attended to u but at the same time, u can't fully blame them, bad people has spoilt good people. I once threw half of my moms salary that she gave me to the market in a burning fire thinking it was paper just to read a flier.

Iwo niikan tan, highlighter lo ri mu

let me take you out so you can get your minds off it....

so sorry dear

skillzbae:
Sorry darling, they should have checked the CCTV or call the person that attended to u but at the same time, u can't fully blame them, bad people has spoilt good people. I once threw half of my moms salary that she gave me to the market in a burning fire thinking it was paper just to read a flier.

ha, your own bad o

This is Nigeria

skillzbae:
Sorry darling, they should have checked the CCTV or call the person that attended to u but at the same time, u can't fully blame them, bad people has spoilt good people. I once threw half of my moms salary that she gave me to the market in a burning fire thinking it was paper just to read a flier.

I kept telling them to check the CCTV...And that I was standing with their staff. They refused... they were just shouting handcuffs or you pay five times the item. I felt very helpless.

And yes, truthfully, I know I can't blame them too much. People steal and make them run at a loss... but to steal a correction pen and highlighter? Moreso, they had a CCTV camera to see how it happened. They just didn't care...simply looking for scapegoats!

I cried, ehn! Never for once in my liife have I stolen a thing nor been accused of such.

I've learnt something from the situation... first, to always carry a basket even if I'm only buying toothpick... two...to never go into Blenco or expect kindness from people.

finalboss:
ha, your own bad o

When I was younger, I burnt my dad's 70k...this was sometime in 2003. He hid the money in the refuse bin...I burnt the refuse at night...didn't know there was money in there.

LegitGirl:


I kept telling them to check the CCTV...And that I was standing with their staff. They refused... they were just shouting handcuffs or you pay five times the item. I felt very helpless.

And yes, truthfully, I know I can't blame them too much. People steal and make them run at a loss... but to steal a correction pen and highlighter? Moreso, they had a CCTV camera to see how it happened. They just didn't care...simply looking for scapegoats!

I cried, ehn! Never for once in my liife have I stolen a thing nor been accused of such.

I've learnt something from the situation... first, to always carry a basket even if I'm only buying toothpick... two...to never go into Blenco or expect kindness from people.

Sorry dear

Damn! I can't even imagine how you must have felt, it's all lessons for us sha.

ehyaa sorry dear the embarrassment must be huge

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!

sweet heart sowie oi ... I wud call u this evening

AryEmber:
Damn! I can't even imagine how you must have felt, it's all lessons for us sha.

I won't forget it in a very long time... My heart was wounded.
The painful part was that I didn't want to go to Blenco in the first place...wanted to go to Shoprite, so I'd also see a movie. But the bus I boarded wasn't going to Shoprite, so I just decided to check Blenco then go home... See what happened!

I so much wished something happened to teach them empathy...

Why didn’t you put them in the cup ?

LegitGirl sorry about the error, we all make mistakes that why I like shoprite and next stores, there's a place to drop your bags. Did you eventually part with 5k??

Awwn sorry bae.
But I thought you're not allowed to carry a bag around?

my sister eiyah sorry to hear. You will recover all you've lost in no time.

I feel your pain sis, sorry for the embarrassment. God will cloth you with a garment of glory.

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

CaptainMitch:
LegitGirl sorry about the error, we all make mistakes that why I like shoprite and next stores, there's a place to drop your bags. Did you eventually part with 5k??

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.

makydebbie:
Awwn sorry bae.
But I thought you're not allowed to carry a bag around?

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

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

I'm not a thief... And trust me, someday in future you would find yourself in a worse situation where you would desperately need someone to believe you and you won't find a single kindness.

You'll learn this lesson.

That's extortion, sorry about your experience, your finances must have taken a hit as a corper.

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.

op dats nigeria for u.in nigeria if u steal fowl dem go beat u and baff u with petrol but then in the same nigeria if u steal billions of dollars of money meant for d project in your hometown then nigerians will hail u as baba oo or oga dollar and ur pastor will award u the title of deacon.in nigetia as even u be armed robber and u don delete many innocent lives with the proceeds u made from armed robbery u go use am set up church and will claim dat u have seen d light and na so ppl go dey rush come ur chuch then u will be braggin how u used to ruin many innocent lives under d guise of testimony and ur followers will be hailing u. na so nigeria be.in ur own case u were falsly accused of stealing ordinary pen and dem say make u come pay 5500. own case is even better than a guy who wad falsly accused of stealing two native fowls and was given 50 yrs jail term by an angry judge.

solasoulmusic:
Why didn’t you put them in the cup ?

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.

So sorry to hear this. Quite a pity, it sounds like an innocent mistake. Try to put it behind you. That's why its good to pray before you leave your house, that no misfortune or I'll luck will come your way

CaptainMitch:
That's extortion, sorry about your experience, your finances must have taken a hit as a corper.

Assuming I didn't even have it...

Taken it all in good stride.