My shopping bag was taken from the mall yesterday

[Disney1fan2002]

Yesterday, I went to the mall to get my haircut. I was told there was a twenty minute wait, so I went to JC Penney to buy a pair of new sneakers. (my big toe is poking out of both of mine). On my way into JC Penney, there was a table set up with some fundraising things for DARE. I gave a $15 donation, and got a t-shirt. I found a $60 pair of sneakers on sale for $30. My bag now had $45 worth of merchandise in it.

Back at the hairdresser's, I still had a few minutes, so I sat and put the bag on the floor next to my chair. When I was called, I forgot about the bag. It stayed there. While I was getting my hair washed, two women came in with a baby about a year old. The mom had tried to cut his hair with clippers, and messed up. She needed them to fix it. One of the hairdressers wasn't doing anything, so she took him right away. They left before my hair was done.

When I went to leave. I remembered my bag, and went to get it. It was GONE! Are you freakin' KIDDING ME???

The girls called security, and I had to go to the security booth. They knew it had to be the women with the baby, because they were the only ones who came in while I was in the chair. Let me just say this, mall security is GOOD FOR NOTHING. All they did was look at the video monitor trying to spot them throughout the mall. The camera's don't look inside the stores. They kept telling me the bag was long gone, and without a license plate number, they couldn't do anything.

The women had a Walmart shopping carriage when they were in the hair place. So I decided to take a walk down to Walmart and see if they were in the store. On my way by Spencer's, I spotted them inside. I backed up and saw my JC Penney bag ( I saw the DARE T shirt)balled up and STUFFED UNDER THE CARRIAGE. All their other bags were on top of the carriage. At first I gave them the benefit of doubt, and thought they may have picked up the bag by mistake. When I saw how they had it hidden under the carriage, I knew they took it on purpose. I reached down and took the bag and asked if they picked it up at the hairdresser's. They where like "huh?" I explained it was my bag, told them what was in it, and that they took it from the hairdresser's. They then back pedaled and made it sound like they were IDENTICAL bags, because they had purchased something their. HA HA.

Anyway, I got my bag back without incident, no thanks to security.

I can't believe some people. Nice example they are setting for the kid.

 

[Angelhalo]

Let me just say this, mall security is GOOD FOR NOTHING. All they did was look at the video monitor trying to spot them throughout the mall. The camera's don't look inside the stores. They kept telling me the bag was long gone, and wothout a license plate number, they couldn't do anything.

I'm sure I'll get some tomatoes for this but, I'm not sure exactly what you wanted Security to do. It pretty much sounds like they did their job to me. They're not paid to be private eyes. Maybe it never occurred to them to chase people into Wal-Mart. If I were them I probably would have done exactly what they did. They did what they thought they should do, and the rest was your fault for not keeping up with your stuff.

I'm glad you found your bag though. People have no shame anymore, and what a great example for the kid

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I'm sure I'll get some tomatoes for this but, I'm not sure exactly what you wanted Security to do. It pretty much sounds like they did their job to me. They're not paid to be private eyes. Maybe it never occurred to them to chase people into Wal-Mart. If I were them I probably would have done exactly what they did. They did what they thought they should do, and the rest was your fault for not keeping up with your stuff.

I'm glad you found your bag though. People have no shame anymore, and what a great example for the kid

There were three security guards behind the booth besides the one scanning the video. How about sending two of them out to poke around INSIDE some of the stores, where the video is not aimed? They had a description of the women.

They also had me write down my name and phone number and what was in the bag, and told me to go home. They would call if they found anything. I couldn't bring myself to leave the mall without my bag.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Good detective work on your part! Glad you got your bag back. Unbelievable what some people will do. The security guards could have looked around for the people. They had a description, if you could find them so could they. I guess they are just there for theft from the stores.

ETA- I wouldn't have been too thrilled with them either. And I would've gotten my bag back just like you did.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

Yesterday, I went to the mall to get my haircut. I was told there was a twenty minute wait, so I went to JC Penney to buy a pair of new sneakers. (my big toe is poking out of both of mine). On my way into JC Penney, there was a table set up with some fundraising things for DARE. I gave a $15 donation, and got a t-shirt. I found a $60 pair of sneakers on sale for $30. My bag now had $45 worth of merchandise in it.

Back at the hairdresser's, I still had a few minutes, so I sat and put the bag on the floor next to my chair. When I was called, I forgot about the bag. It stayed there. While I was getting my hair washed, two women came in with a baby about a year old. The mom had tried to cut his hair with clippers, and messed up. She needed them to fix it. One of the hairdressers wasn't doing anything, so she took him right away. They left before my hair was done.

When I went to leave. I remembered my bag, and went to get it. It was GONE! Are you freakin' KIDDING ME???

The girls called security, and I had to go to the security booth. They knew it had to be the women with the baby, because they were the only ones who came in while I was in the chair. Let me just say this, mall security is GOOD FOR NOTHING. All they did was look at the video monitor trying to spot them throughout the mall. The camera's don't look inside the stores. They kept telling me the bag was long gone, and without a license plate number, they couldn't do anything.

The women had a Walmart shopping carriage when they were in the hair place. So I decided to take a walk down to Walmart and see if they were in the store. On my way by Spencer's, I spotted them inside. I backed up and saw my JC Penney bag ( I saw the DARE T shirt)balled up and STUFFED UNDER THE CARRIAGE. All their other bags were on top of the carriage. At first I gave them the benefit of doubt, and thought they may have picked up the bag by mistake. When I saw how they had it hidden under the carriage, I knew they took it on purpose. I reached down and took the bag and asked if they picked it up at the hairdresser's. They where like "huh?" I explained it was my bag, told them what was in it, and that they took it from the hairdresser's. They then back pedaled and made it sound like they were IDENTICAL bags, because they had purchased something their. HA HA.

Anyway, I got my bag back without incident, no thanks to security.

I can't believe some people. Nice example they are setting for the kid.

I'm not sure what else Security could have done. They looked at the cameras, tried to spot the people, but couldn't.

I have to wonder, though, wouldn't they have stuffed the bag inside one of their other bags if they were really trying to steal it? If they'd bought something in the same store, maybe they really did mistakenly think the bag was theirs.

I'm glad you got your bag back, but I never would have confronted them myself. You just never know if they're crazy or not. If they seem capable of stealing, who's to say they wouldn't go further, KWIM?

 

[Angelhalo]

I'm not sure what else Security could have done. They looked at the cameras, tried to spot the people, but couldn't.

I have to wonder, though, wouldn't they have stuffed the bag inside one of their other bags if they were really trying to steal it? If they'd bought something in the same store, maybe they really did mistakenly think the bag was theirs.

I'm glad you got your bag back, but I never would have confronted them myself. You just never know if they're crazy or not. If they seem capable of stealing, who's to say they wouldn't go further, KWIM?

ITA with everything you said. $45 isn't worth it if they might have shot me! LOL!

 

[Todd&Copper]

Glad you got your bag back, but you should have either ran out to your can and dumped it in the trunk or placed it in front of you when you sat down so it would be more prominent (and less likely to be left).

As a practical joke, we once took Hallmark ornament boxes and filled them with kitchen waste and put them in a Hallmark bag. We left the bag on a bench at the mall, to see if anyone would come running to us with the bag or if someone would take it. Sure enough, no one told us we "left something" and when we circled back around, the bag was GONE. Bet they were surprised to find potato peels and beef fat instead of Santa or an angel.

 

[nataliela]

As a practical joke, we once took Hallmark ornament boxes and filled them with kitchen waste and put them in a Hallmark bag. We left the bag on a bench at the mall, to see if anyone would come running to us with the bag or if someone would take it. Sure enough, no one told us we "left something" and when we circled back around, the bag was GONE. Bet they were surprised to find potato peels and beef fat instead of Santa or an angel.

My boss did this with dog poo before!



OP- I'm so glad you got your stuff back! I worked in a mall before, and I know exactly how competent mall security is

 

[Robinrs]

I'm so glad you got your bag back.

A friend of mine runs a thrift store here and she told me I'd be SHOCKED to see what she's found in strollers and carriages!!! They're no longer allowed in that store or another high end store I get inventory from. The other one said she stops them at the door and demands them to be left outside....what a shame.

I would've done the same thing.... possession is 9/10s of the law. Then again I'm a NYer, I've beaten up muggers...