Not Worth Shopping At WoolworthWool

Just when you felt the criminal justice system in the country was failing us all I am happy to report that a number of instances of TOTAL EFFICIENCY are beginning to surface. First there was the prompt, well coordinated (not to mention well documented and videoed) raid on the Stellenbosch nightclubs and now here is a fine example of how dangerous criminals are being apprehended and brought to justice.

Late last year a 42 year old lady was shopping in Woolworths Eastgate (Johannesburg, South Africa) as she had done dozens of times already that year. After paying for her groceries (about R350) she began to exit the store. As she approached the exit the alarms sounded. Realising that she had not paid for a baby grow that she had picked out for a friend she apologised and explained to the security guard that she would go back to the till and pay for it now. No problem explains the guard; you just need to come with me to the office to complete some paper work.

Naive, unsuspecting, just happy to be sorting this out, she follows the security officer to the office. Now the fun begins… they proceed to lock her in the office for the next three hours, they threaten her, photograph her, force her to sign a piece of paper stating she will never set foot in a Woolworths again and that if she does she will be arrested. (Wondering what happened to ‘innocent until proven guilty’). They refuse her access to legal assistance and forbid her from making ANY telephone calls. She pleaded with them for an opportunity to speak to the store manager who on his arrival was both rude and dismissive towards her.

Fortunately the women kept her wits about her and although terrified managed to convince one of the men to phone her husband to tell him to collect the children from school. The phone call went something like this… “Hello, is that Mr. XXX? You better go and collect your children from school because I have just arrested your wife!” Funny I didn’t know security officers ‘arrested’ people. “Who are you?” ask the man “And what have you arrested my wife for?”

“I am a security officer at Woolworths in Eastgate and I have arrested her for shoplifting” (Believe his name wass Rudolph or Randolph or something like that)

“Let me see” says the man “Was my wife shopping in Woolworths? Had she paid for her stuff? Did she forget to pay for a single item?” all answers to the affirmative “Well clearly there has been an error and sanity can prevail?”

“No! We have a policy and we are sticking to it and NO you can’t speak to her” At this stage the husband remains calm and says not to worry he will be there shortly. The security officer than does something really brave and instructs everyone that the husband, all 5′8″ and 69 kilograms of him is to be barred from entering the security section. On arrival the husband requests a meeting with the store manager (Think the name was Hannes) who he is told is simply NOT AVAILABLE. He then asks to chat to the head of security and is confronted by an aggressive, threatening man who refuses to even discuss the matter. (The name on his badge was Corrie or Connie or something close)

“We have called the Bedfordview police and they will collect her and charge her” The husband offers to drive the wife there, asks to at least see her, to accompany her to the police station, in fact anything, all of which is flatly refused. Three hours later, having been denied any access to legal assistance, a visit from her husband or contact with anyone outside the security office, the police arrive. She is marched through Woolworths and taken to the police van and locked in the back with a male prisoner they have already taken into custody. Now absolutely terrified and alone in the back of the van she is driven to the police station. Fears of abduction and rape still haunt her to this day; I mean we live in such a wonderful and safe country who would ever think that might happen.

Wool The husband in the meantime gets to Bedfordview police station in advance and chats to a few senior officers who offer to assist once she arrives. Fortunately for this as they were about to lock her in a holding cell. Instead she is handcuffed to a table and has her photograph and finger prints taken. A statement is taken and she is released on condition she appears in court the next morning. Terrified, shaken, criminalised and terrorised she goes home to spend one of many sleepless nights.

The court appearance was reasonably brief and the case is postponed for a few days to seek legal representation. More sleepless nights, more fear of leaving the home, calls to Woolworths head office to try and resolve the matter, legal representation and back to court. Fortunately sanity prevailed and the public prosecutor withdrew the charges immediately.

So months later the women is still shaken by the ordeal and has never set foot in a Woolworths since. She has heard of a number of similar incidents since and they all seem to revolve around Woolworths Eastgate. So a word to the wise, “be careful!” It is difficult to arrest hijackers, murderers and rapists, there never seems to be a magistrate around when a really important case is being heard, but accidentally try and leave Woolworths with an item you forgot to pay for or one your child accidentally picked up and placed in the trolley and the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on you. If you arrive at the front door and the alarm goes off, refuse to accompany anyone anywhere, stand where you are, call someone immediately and if necessary wait for the police to arrive.Wool

I know the security officers and Woolworths will be explaining that they were just “doing their job” but that smacks of an excuse I heard when watching the movie Nuremberg and I know Woolworths will quote the millions they lose to shoplifters every year as a reason to get tough BUT nothing will justify the dehumanisation and criminalisation of a regular shopper. (Woolworths Credit Card, My School Card… the works.) Just like no amount of spin will make the police who raided the Stellenbosch nightclubs look like they “were just doing their jobs”.

And you may be wondering if all the facts are true, if this isn’t maybe just a story repeated and embellished upon until it has become an urban legend and maybe I risk being sued by Woolworths for libel? Well I can vouch for the facts and would gladly do so in a court of law, you see the women in question, IS MY WIFE! Oh and those of you who have met my wife and I will know what an intimidating couple we are, no wonder they needed to restrain her and bar me from entering the office.

The millions that Woolworths might spend on trying to convince me of their softer, caring, “we are there for the consumer” side are worthless when their staff have absolutely no idea how to treat people. We were not the only case that morning involving Woolworths Eastgate and shoplifting but we were the only ones who could afford independent legal representation. My heart goes out to those who find themselves similarly accused who do not have the financial means to address this. Sue Woolworths? I think not, we both conducted ourselves with dignity and decorum and that is more than I can say for the management or security staff at Woolworths Eastgate… and they know who they are!

I have subsequently been told that it is Woolworths policy to allow customers to pay for goods that are accidentally placed in trolleys but this option was not offered to my wife, instead a few “men” and I use that terms loosely decided to “teach her a lesson” and believe me it is a lesson that I will share with everyone who will listen.

Feel free to cut and paste this article or just the link
http://toomuchcoffee.co.za/2008/03/17/not-worth-shopping-at-woolworths
and send it to anyone who may make the mistake of walking out of Woolworths with an unpaid for item. This could save them a huge amount of trauma.

You Should Also Check Out This Post:

More Active Posts: