I was accused of being a thief last night---Updated, spoke with her direct manager!

[verwon]

I have never, ever stolen anything in my life. I have been homeless and gone hungry because I would not steal!! I don't think so, you all won't believe this one:

I was so upset, not to mention embarassed and humiliated, and you can be sure I raised heck about it, filed a complaint and I am not going to let it rest until the store owner does something about it. My friend and I were in my local grocery store (I am giving them a chance to resolve the issue before I post the name!)picking up some grocery items and deal hunting, if I am getting a big order, I can't shop alone, I can't push the buggy, so I have to have help. When we were done shopping, and had stopped at the front of the store to grab a couple newspapers, the coupons weren't great, so it wasn't worth getting a whole lot, so I was only getting two newspapers. Anyway, there was this woman who worked there cleaning up around their little coffee bar thing, and she was watching us like I hawk, I knew from the look on her fact that she already had herself convinced that we were going to steal something, inserts out of the papers or whatever, which, of course, I had no intention of doing. I made sure she saw me check the papers for the inserts and then put the papers in the buggy to buy them.

Anyway, I was hurting, we had been in there over an hour, and I needed to get out of the store and get home, take some meds, put away groceries and sit down. Anyway, right as I was getting ready to check out, I glanced down at this one pop case, and I saw these coupons on there for the 20ounce Mountain Dew Products, I thought they made a great deal, and I went to grab a couple, unless there are only one or two left, I never empty the tear pad, I don't think it is far to take them all and not leave any for someone else to use. Anyway, when I went to grab them, the last that were there all came off together, someone had gotten them wet and they were all stuck together, anyway like I said, I had to get out of there, so I just figured oh well, rather then get any right now, I would take that little cluster with me, then see what I could salvage at home out of the stuck together ones, and use them another day. I mean, I am always in that store, they are the only big grocery store here in town that doubles. So anyway, I stuck them in my purse and turned to grab the cart and check out, when this woman working there says, "Alright, take a couple and leave some for someone else." I wasn't sure if she was talking to me, so I said excuse me, and she repeated it. So I told her I had no intention of taking them all, but someone had gotten them wet, and I just couldn't stand there and seperate them and mess with them right now, and I pointed towards my cane, said I was hurting and needed to get out of the store.

So she said, yeah right, we know what you people do. Taking all of those, when you aren't buying the product is stealing, the same as if you took the inserts out of the newspapers without buying them, and I looked at her like she was crazy, they are FREE coupons, so no stealing at all, and I would never do such a thing anyway with the newspapers, I buy multiple papers every week. Anyway, my friend looked at her and said "You people?" and the woman said yes, you people, you come in, you steal these coupons so you can go sell them, when they are intended to be used on the product. I told her I had fully intended to use them until I found they were stuck together, then I even pulled them out of my purse and showed them to her. So she came over, grabbed them off of me, and started just tearing them apart, she ruined several of them. Then she said there, now use a couple and leave some for someone else, unless you are going to use ALL of them, she stressed the all, because there are about 10 of them. Like it would be impossible for me to use that many, on pops that would cost 29cents after the coupon.

So I looked at her and I said, no, after the way you talked to me, I am not going to use any of them and buy any of that pop. And I turned and set the coupons up on top of the pop case. Anyway, I told her that I never do that, first of all taking those coupons is not stealing, I have been couponing for years and I know how it works, and secondly I have never had to steal to save money, I shop there all the time, and save a lot of money with coupons but I have never stolen inserts out of the papers or taken them out of, or off of products when they are intended to be used on those items.

She said yeah, right, we know how you people are, we KNOW! You steal them so you can take them and no one else can use them and you can sell them for money. I swear, if I didn't need the groceries so badly, and were in shape to go to another store, I would have just handed her the cart and told her to have fun putting them all away. I mean she isn't even a manager or anything, just a bagger and stock clerk. So she went walking up to bag someone else's groceries, the whole way saying this same stuff to me over and over, in front of everyone in the store. I was so mad, so I went up to her and said Please, don't call me a thief. I do not do that, if they weren't stuck together and I didn't need to get out of the store, I wouldn't even have taken all of those ones, I DO NOT DO THAT and NEVER HAVE. I have never stolen anything in my life, and she said the same stuff again. So I looked at her and I said, you know calling someone a thief is a very serious allegation, and I want to know the name and time that the manager or owner will be in the store so I can talk to them. So then she tried to say she didn't call me a thief, and I repeated exactly what she said, I told her you were lumping me in with "YOU PEOPLE" and you said it several times, that is calling me a thief. So then she got smart and said you want to talk to my manager, she is over there at the service window, but she will agree with me and tell you the same thing. So I said, OH REALLY? and I went right over there to talk to the woman, well I guess she was hoping I would just give up and leave, because that woman wasn't a manager of any kind either, but when I told her what happened and that I had darn well never stole anything in my life or been called a thief like that before, and I darn well was not going to start now at 35 years old, she agreed with me and called the night manager down. So he asked me what happened and I told him, he was appalled, totally.

He said they have had trouble with her doing this stuff to customers before, I mean by this time I was so upset and angry, I was in tears and almost hysterical. He said he couldn't believe she did that, and this was more than likely the last straw for her and her job there. In the middle of my talking to him and explaining what happened and how embarassed and humiliated I was at being treated like that and called a thief right in the store, in front of everyone, she came stomping over, handed him the coupons and said here, I got them apart in about 30seconds. THen she said and I didn't call you a thief, I said "YOU PEOPLE, not you!" and I said what is the difference? So I looked at the night manager and I said, now how would you take that if someone said that to you in public, and he said, "I would assume she had just called me a thief!" He could see how badly those coupons had been stuck together, and how much she had damaged them by ripping them apart like that, several were no longer usable.

I told him that if something is not done about it, I would no longer be shopping there, and considering that I have been using that store since we moved here, and I am in there several days a week, and we spend hundreds of dollars there a month, they would be suffering more than me. Several people who heard her talking to me like that, we so shocked and upset, that they left their groceries on the belt and just walked out of the store to shop elsewhere. He said "Honestly, if it were me, I would never shop in here again if someone did that to me!"

Then he took my name and number, said he was going to talk to her about it, then in the morning he has a meeting everyday, with the store owner if he is there, and the general over all manager, so he could tell them exactly what happened and she can't try to gloss it over. He also locked up the coupons so she couldn't try to get rid of them or something before the people in charge saw them.

By this time, I was so upset I was just shaking and standing there on my cane so long that my back and hip were just in agony, so I gave my friend my coupons and credit card to check my stuff out, and I went and sat down for a minute. Then when they were done, I just went over and signed my receipt and left.

I am not waiting for them to call me this morning either, I am calling them at 9am on the dot, and someone is going to do something about her and the way she acted towards me. I have witnesses to the whole thing and I am very angry, not to mention humiliated and embarassed.

[verwon]

I just got off the phone with the store manager, he hadn't heard about this yet, as he hadn't had his meeting with Dave, the night manager yet. But he was just so appalled and he was apologizing to me like crazy, he said no one deserved to be treated like that by anyone, their employees are not allowed to do that, I mean, he said they don't even treat shop-lifters like that and make a humiliating public spectacle of them, let alone to do it to someone over a few coupons.

He also reiterated that she has been in trouble for this stuff before, and warned not to do it again, it is not her job and she has no right to treat any customers like that. I told him I had witnessed to the whole thing, I gave him the date and time of my visit, I had the time marked right on my checkout receipt. So he said, he will check with him and his details, as he already has my name and phone number, and any others who were there, he said if he needs my friends number, she told me last night to go ahead and give it to him if he needs it, and he will let me know what they are going to do.

He said they will handle it though, and get back in touch with me, because he was upset as well that I was treated that way. I mean he was almost as upset as I was, he just wasn't in tears, as I was talking about it again, you know how it brings it all back, so I apologized for crying, but he said he understood, and he apologized about 50times.

But I told him I will be waiting to hear from him, as if they don't do something, neither I, nor my friends, family, landlord or etc. Quite a lot of people actually, will ever set foot in their store again.

I also did not want him, nor the guy last night to think I was just after something, so other than their handling of her, to make sure it does not happen to me or anyone else ever again, I have not asked for ANYTHING. Not a gift certificate or anything, and I know he was waiting on the phone to see if I was just trying to get something, when Dave took my report last night, and asked if there was anything else he could do, and I said no, other than handling her and how she acted to me, there wasn't anything else. And he said, he could tell I was telling the truth, those who are making stuff up come over calm, cool and collected, they aren't angry and embarassed to the point of tears, and right away they offer a deal to settle, such as money or a gift certificate for free stuff in the store. I told him no, I had no interest in that, that is not the point of any of this. The point is that neither, my friend who I was shopping with, nor anyone else deserves to be treated like that.

And the general manager agreed with me, he said no, they don't even treat shoplifters like that, they are not allowed to do that to anyone in public, it is illegal, debasement of character, slander, libel, and several other things they could be sued for if they did such a thing. He said, even when they catch someone shop lifting, they take the person aside, ask them to come with them to an office, then approach them about it, and he said No, you cannot steal free coupons that are on a tear pad, put there to be given free to customers by the manufacturers rep that stocks those shelves or that pop cooler.

I freely told him that if he wants to check me out, he can do so, I will gladly give him my personal information and he can see I have never been in trouble before in my life, for anything. I also told him to go ahead and call up the store security tapes, I know they have cameras all over, they use a digital computer system so nothing is overwritten right away like VCR tapes might be, in case they have to use it as evidence against a shoplifter.

I told him about the break coupons hanging on the shelves in the bread aisle for various Schwebels products, I told him he can see if he wants, that I took a couple of each, as we use break all the time, I used a couple on last nights order, kept a couple (2) of each for another day, and he will see when I was done that the rest of the pads are still hanging there when I walk away. I do not believe in taking them all and not leaving them for someone else. I told him I work online, I know you can make money selling coupons, I know where to sell them and where to buy them, but I do not as I don't think it is right. The manufacturer does intent those coupons to be used by the shoppers in that store to buy their products, in hopes that you will like them, and then keep buying them later without the coupon. Unless there are only one or two left, and I am going to use them right then, I don't take the last or entire tear pad of anything, no matter how badly I need to save money.

He agreed with me, and well I guess we shall see what happens. Personally, I think if, as he and the night manager said, this is not the first time she has done stuff like this to people, that she should be fired. I hate to see anyone lose their job, but you just can't run a business and have employees that treat someone like that.

I can't believe I started crying again just talking to him on the phone though, but I was just so upset. Geez.

Anyway, sorry for these long-winded posts, but I know you will all understand and I have just never felt so humiliated in my life. Even if they get rid of her, I am not sure I can ever shop there again, I mean there will always be someone, (and she was already spreading the word about what she said I did to other employees, because my friend heard her and said something about it,) who will think that I was caught stealing something like a shop-lifter or something, because they don't know the whole story of what actually happened, just her side, and I am not sure I can face that everytime I have to go back in that store.

[Jennifer M.]

That is disgusting the way she treated you...I don't know how you didn't smack her with your cane!

I hope she gets fired over this...

[badlittleteachr]

I don't know how you kept your cool I would have gone off if that happend to me in my store. I really hope that gal gets whats comming to her.

[verwon]

Thank you, see I knew everyone here would understand why I was so upset. Anyway, the General Store Manager said he is going to do something about it, and he will get back in touch with me soon and let me know what action they are taking.

Smacking her one with my cane was, I admit, very tempting, but then I also thought it would not be an effective way to get something done about the situation. Once I was arrested for assault, my credibility would be kind of ruined! LOL!

If she had just made her comment about the coupons, you know that she didn't think it was right that I took them all, and I showed her that they were stuck together, and she had ended it there, I would have chalked it all up to a misunderstanding, because she didn't know that they were stuck together. But she couldn't leave it go at that, she just had to assume that I was an awful person who steals coupons in there all the time and deserved to be berated and treated like a criminal, and I could not stand for that.

My dad is always great for calming me down, so I called him this morning and told him what happened, and even he said that if it was him, he would probably have wanted to deck her. LOL! I couldn't believe that came out of my dad's mouth. But he knows how he raised us kids, he knows what he taught us, and I have always abhorred stealing. I will not even take the coupons they have stuck on various products in the store, if I am not buying that product. If I am buying them, like sometimes they have some on the pop 2 liters for a free one or $1 off if you buy 2 or 3 bottles, I will grab the amount of bottles required to use the coupon, then save the ones on the other bottles to use another day, but I do not, and have never grabbed some just off of other bottles or items that I am not buying.

[tlspiegel]

Oh ver, what a horrible experience. Just find comfort in the fact she WILL be dealt with by TPTB. Now, I want you to calm down as best you can and chill for a while. Stress will exacerbate your pains and illness. I'm here if you want to vent or rage against the machine. I'm sorry for you - you didn't deserve this.

[verwon]

Thank you Toby, that does mean a lot to me, you are so awesome.

I am starting to calm down more and feel better. I need to fill my ink cartridge and print out Andy's grades to send in to his OVR worker, as they help pay for his schooling, once I get that done, I am going to take my meds and go lay down for awhile and chill.

Thanks so much everyone, you are all the greatest.

[tlspiegel]

Sending very gentle (((((((ver)))))) and lots of love to you.

[ShainaT]

Geez Louise! What a story.
I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I hope they give you a gift certificate or something.

[verwon]

Thanks, gentle hugs are always welcome and appreciated, and returned!

As to a GC, I could care less about that, nothing is really ever going to make up for that humiliation and embarassment, but I want her on the unemployment line, that is what I really want. Her behavior is just inexcusable.

Yes, it is quite a store, I mean, I had heard about people being treated that way before, and I always thought it was awful, but I mean, I have never been through such a thing myself, and I had not even imagined it would happen. Like I said, I have never stolen anything, I had a friend once who did, and when I found out about it, I told the store manager, so he could keep an eye on her in the future when she came in, but I did not ever go shopping with her again.

[ShainaT]

You are a good person Verwon. Really you are.

Keep us posted.

This makes me so mad. You are a sweet, caring and honest person and it jst breaks my heart!!! I hope that she gets fired over that. Man this makes my skin crawl.

[whitequeen96]

You poor thing! What a nasty piece of work that woman is. But don't let her actions upset you another minute; she's not worth it! Just know that you have earned and established an excellent reputation among those who know you, so don't let her behavior shake you.

I paid for some stuff today at the local market and thought I was paying in silver dollars, but they were half dollars. I felt so bad once I realized it that I drove straight back to the store and made up the difference. The older lady who was there said she never would have noticed. I felt so bad, but it is an easy mistake. It was only like $6 short but I took it straight up to the store. It is a shame that those people where you went were so snooty. It just ticks me off. At least the manager was nice. Hardly worth the embarassment though. Still thinking about it just makes my blood boil.

[katlnhats]

Oh Ver,

You? A thief? If this wasn't so horrible, and such a terrible experience, it would be laughable!!!!!!!! I am so sorry that you became a victim of a mean and nasty woman. I'd have reacted in much the same way you did and would feel the same way you do too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First, and this is something you have to wonder about --- they've had the same type of complaints about this worker before - why is she still working there? She shouldn't be """"anywhere around"""" people. Customer service she's NOT!
Years ago, and Management was my field, I interviewed and was hired for a management position in (not kidding) our nearest local grocery store. I took the job, BUT I wanted to work among the employees for a month before announcing it. That was a stipulation. Why? Because, several employees weren't treating the customers right. At the end of the month, I had detailed notes on my employees and when we announced that I was taking over the management, I called a meeting that day and fired seven people.
The meeting was actually about what was expected of the employees and I went over that in detail first, with the entire group. I didn't fire them in front of anyone as at the end of the meeting, I talked to everyone that worked there in my office seperately. There's no need to embarrass anyone - the good workers were asked if they'd like more hours and complimented on their jobs.
The ones that I fired; I did one at a time also, and explained to them (nicely), why their services weren't needed anymore. In my opinion, this lady should have been fired as the Managers had already noticed that she treated customers badly!

Ver, don't let a rotten employee stop you from shopping where you're used to shopping. I believe she will get fired and any other employee she blabbed to already knows what she's like and will take that into consideration. YOU did NOTHING wrong and everything right! YOU have nothing to be embarrassed about.
Also, you've been a regular customer there for some time, that means a lot or it 'should' mean lots to any store - actually - more to a grocery store than a clothing store as people shop for clothing in lots of places. People are more loyal to their grocery stores. We shop in one in town and don't usually go to any other, once in awhile if they have a great sale and we're in the area, but other than that, it's always the same store.
Think of it another way, you did everything right and she did everything wrong - you went to the manager and she was still running her mouth. Ridiculous! (not you) I'm furious on your behalf!!!!!!
But since you did nothing wrong and approached the problem right, though you were upset (who wouldn't be?), you will get results. I hate it that you had to go through this; it's not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot understand how ANYONE could ever call such a giving person such as you a thief. Grrrrr! I'm so sorry you had to go through this. OK, try to calm down, it's not good to get so upset - and I'm angry enough for us both!!! It "will" be resolved and go back to that store and hold your head up, as I said before, anyone that had to work with this lady already knows just how rotten she is. Who do you think they already believe? You, of course. Hang in there.....it'll get better. Honest.

((((((((((((((Gentle-poison-ivy-Hugs!))))))))))))))))))

Kat