Drive off without paying

[Escapee]

I had my mother all upset on the phone earlier, she had a police officer at the house last night claiming that a well know supermarket would be taking her to court for driving off without paying for fuel. She is a bit of a worrier and I know she will loose a lot of sleep over it.

She informed the officer that she went in and paid £20 in cash, the officer claimed they had CCTV evidence that she did not and the supermarket had a policy of taking people to court. She began to panick and got very upset about it, she turned her handbag inside out and went through the bin... Fortunately she found the receipt for trhe correct amount, with the correct date and time.

The police claimed they would be returning today but have so far not turned up, it maybe because she has been to the store and played hell with them about it.

The main thing that she is worried about is people thinking she actually did it, as there are people working there who know her and she is worried the wrong story will get around.

I Think whoever made the mistake and pointed the finger in the wrong direction should loose their job.

[Scrubbs]

That's right.... every one who "makes a mistake" should lose their job...

I am guessing you have only your mothers half of the story?
Have you reviewed the tape yourself? It may "look" like there has been a genuine mistake.
It is also possible the store will actually apologise and offer some small compensation.

That will be a lot of good to the person who has lost a job because your mother was upset

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by Scrubbs

It is also possible the store will actually apologise and offer some small compensation.

I agree and besides shop staff get enough stick as it is, mistakes do happen and I'm sure if it is one - the person who made it will have to apologise.

I hope she gets it all sorted out soon though, probably some idiot done a drive off at exactly the same time so they will have to check their till records and corresponding cctv to see who also put £20 in around the same time.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Scrubbs

That's right.... every one who "makes a mistake" should lose their job...

I am guessing you have only your mothers half of the story?
Have you reviewed the tape yourself? It may "look" like there has been a genuine mistake.
It is also possible the store will actually apologise and offer some small compensation.

That will be a lot of good to the person who has lost a job because your mother was upset

'My mothers half of the story' I assume you mean the facts and not accusation from the garage?

She has been to the garage this morning with the reciept showing the correct time, date and correct amount. The shift manager refused to apologise for the error stating the matter is on the hands of the police. I guess it just goes to show that she would be looking at a day in court if she had thown away the reciept.

ps. I have heard similar of someone accused of stealing in a shop, the CCTV evidence claimed did not exist because the system was not working. It makes m wonder if they just made a note of the car they thought had driven off, and do not actually have any CCTV footage to view !

I wonder how many people pay small amounts in cash for items and keep the reciept just in case they are accused of being a thief!

As an honest person who has never stolen from a shop, garage etc etc, I would expect the accuser to be dealt with if I was wrongly accused of being a thief. I would certainly do all I could to make sure everyone knew I was wrongly accused.

I would be straight to the local press and id write to head office until some form of apoligy is made.

[Raistlin]

Your mother needs to:

Stay calm.

Write to the supermarket manager.

Explain exactly what happened, clearly.

Copy the receipt and send the copy to them.

Tell them that she wants them to investigate, and that she want written confirmation from them that they a) don't intend to continue to pursue her for the money, b) agree that she has already paid, c) will notify the police accordingly, and d) apologise for the upset caused.

[DaiNasty]

Originally Posted by Rob M

Your mother needs to:

Tell them that she wants them to investigate, and that she want written confirmation from them that they a) don't intend to continue to pursue her for the money, b) agree that she has already paid, c) will notify the police accordingly, and d) apologise for the upset caused.

and e: Provide an amount in compensation for their sloppy management. I'd suggest x100 the amount involved would be appropriate.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I would be straight to the local press and id write to head office until some form of apoligy is made.

I am fully with Zing on this phone the local paper and see if you can get your mum on the front page holding the receipt and the supermarket will come cap in hand with an apology.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Escapee

She has been to the garage this morning with the reciept showing the correct time, date and correct amount. The shift manager refused to apologise for the error stating the matter is on the hands of the police.

I'd let it go to court personally.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Rob M

Your mother needs to:

Stay calm.

Write to the supermarket manager.

Explain exactly what happened, clearly.

Copy the receipt and send the copy to them.

Tell them that she wants them to investigate, and that she want written confirmation from them that they a) don't intend to continue to pursue her for the money, b) agree that she has already paid, c) will notify the police accordingly, and d) apologise for the upset caused.

I'd agree with the above, with the exception that she should actually be writing to the head office, and complain about the manager of the store.

I also agree with the statements above about how we treat shop workers. Some people (not all or even a lot) treat any customer facing employees like dirt. I worked for Blockbuster, and I was reguarly shouted at, sworn at and even threatened because another employee (or the system) had done something the customer didn't like, and they just came in to intimidate the first person they saw.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Gary L

I'd let it go to court personally.

But that's the problem! Now the police have seen the reciept they are not interested.

She is annoyed that the officer said 'you did not pay for your fuel' There was no mention of evidence or that they 'suspected' she did not pay.

Now there will be no further action against her and anyone hearing about it will just think she was guilty.

---------- Post added at 20:32 ---------- Previous post was at 20:23 ----------

Originally Posted by Stuart C

I'd agree with the above, with the exception that she should actually be writing to the head office, and complain about the manager of the store.

I also agree with the statements above about how we treat shop workers. Some people (not all or even a lot) treat any customer facing employees like dirt. I worked for Blockbuster, and I was reguarly shouted at, sworn at and even threatened because another employee (or the system) had done something the customer didn't like, and they just came in to intimidate the first person they saw.

I would not expect to treat a shop worker like that if I was unhappy with the company or service, however in the case of something personal like being accused of being a thief I would take a very different view.

I have been to see my parents and seen the reciept, I even pointed out about the 'Club Points' that also prove her payment.

The officer even said to her that he told the accuser after viewing the CCTV footage that 'my mother did not look like the type'. We are suspecting that although they have CCTV footage of my mother walking to and from the shop to pay, they probably do not have CCTV working at the tills.

I mentioned that they may of made a mistake and the payment was made against another pump. (That was me having a go at her for probably being dizzy) She said, when I paid I said 'Pump 5 the Blue Pugeot' so that seems to count that one out.

My parents suspect that it was possibly a car in front of them. When they pulled in a woman had come from the shop and got in her car, she pulled forward to another pump and filled with fuel. We are wondering if she had also put fuel in at the first pump (one my parents used) and not paid for it. They said they onlynoticed this womens antics because she had a badly behaved kid running riiot and they had the impression from her look and accent that she was possibly a gypsy.

She is still waiting for an apology, all the garage has said so far today is they are still investigating, even though my mother has proof of payment.

[lauzjp]

eek, your poor Mum.

I would go to the local paper personally, and complain to the head office.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by lauzjp

eek, your poor Mum.

I would go to the local paper personally, and complain to the head office.

I have unofficially, I have a friend at Cardiff Head office who I have provided the reciept details. They are in a position to make sure it is investigated correctly and will be able to obtain the cashiers details from the reciept.

I was on the phone to her and was just about to tell her what my mother said, and she spouted out exactly what my mother said.

She said 'I noticed the staff were too busy talking to serve when I last went in there, their mind is not on the job'

She said she was tempted to comlain about them at the time. I am hoping she will be onto the manager on Monday to get their backsides kicked.

[Dude111]

I hope your mum can get out of this somehow!!

Good luck!

[Pia]

Lol i doubt she needs to "get out of it", she's innocent