11:36am Tuesday 3rd April 2007
By Craig Manning
AN elderly woman from Oxton claims she was subjected to a humiliating ordeal by security guards after being wrongly accused of stealing from a food store.
Maureen Leeper went to Netto in Borough Road, Birkenhead last Wednesday morning and paid £3.17p for items, which included a box of organic muesli, some fruit and oat bars and a cauliflower. She left the store, returning minutes later to buy some chops.
But as she was walking past the fish stalls in Birkenhead Market, 78-year-old Mrs Leeper was stopped by security guards - including one from Netto who alleged that she had not paid for the items worth £3.17 and blocked her path.
"I was in the market and this bloke tapped me on the shoulder and said I hadn't paid for the items," the 78-year-old retired magistrate told Globe. "I had a receipt but was in that much of a state because of what was going on that I couldn't find it.
"I couldn't believe what was going on. I was just bemused when all these guards surrounded me and am still very shaken by what happened.
"I have nothing against the guards, because I suppose they were just doing their job and the guard from Netto admitted that I had probably paid the bill. But why didn't they stop me outside the shop? It would have caused a lot less distress."
She called her daughter, Maureen Ferrer, and the two went back to Netto to speak to the manager who eventually gave them a copy of the till receipt.
The experience has left Mrs Leeper wary about going out shopping in future: "I went shopping the next day and just felt as though I was looking over my shoulder all the time. I'm not a criminal and if I was going to make myself a rogue, it certainly wouldn't be by stealing from Netto," she added.
Furious daughter Maureen is considering writing a letter of complaint to the company's head office and said: "My mum called me to come and help her, but by the time I got to her she was in a real state. I took her to the store and asked the manager for a copy of the receipt, which after some persuading he eventually found from the till roll.
"But mum was totally humiliated by what happened and I am disgusted by the way the incident was dealt with. I want a full apology."
A spokesman for Netto apologised for the distress caused to Mrs Leeper and told the Globe that the incident was being investigated, but was unable to make further comment.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/trade_directory/