This was posted by 'Gungahlin' on behalf of a very upset long-time local resident:

I just wanted to share a traumatising experience my three children (aged 11, 9 and 6) had whilst browsing in the 'Gungahlin Centre News' (next to Woolworths) in the Gungahlin Marketplace on Friday, 9 January 2009.

I had raced into Woolworths to pick up some drinks for the kids and they asked if they could look in the 'Gungahlin Centre News' whilst they were waiting for me. I was gone 5 minutes and when I called them out of the shop the (young) male staff member stopped them. I heard him say "aren't you going to pay for that"? I looked on briefly as my kids politely explained to him that they had bought it from Big W and that they had the receipt. By now I was standing next to them and asked him "what was going on". Here are the facts:

We had bought a couple of things at Big W about 15 minutes before entering the 'Gungahlin Centre News' (some boys t-shirts and a girls pencil case). Whilst in 'Gungahlin Centre News' the pencil case had fallen out of the Big W bag and my daughter had picked it up and put it back in. At the time the male staff member was watching and my daughter had said to him - "it's my pencil case we just bought at Big W". My daughter then clearly heard him say to the female staff member (who turned out to be the manager of 'Gungahlin Centre News') "that girl has just stolen a pencil case". My kids continued to look around the shop for another minute while waiting for me. It was then that I returned and called them out of the 'Gungahlin Centre News' where they were 'accosted' by the male staff member. Even after seeing the receipt which clearly showed the pencil case had been bought at Big W 15 minutes earlier, he was very accusing of the children.

As this male pointed out to me "we have a right to search someone's bags if we are suspicious Sir" - Yes, I totally agree they do, but... they do not have the right to traumatise three innocent kids who were doing nothing more than looking in a shop. I know everyone says their kids are good and wouldn't do anything wrong but, trust me, stealing is something my kids have been brought up to not do!

This incident has really affected the kids and they came home and cried for 20 minutes because they were so upset. I tried to explain to them that the man was just checking as he has the right to do, but like my daughter said "dad I told him when I was putting it back in the bag that I had bought it from Big W and he didn't say anything until we were leaving".

Note to 'Gungahlin Centre News' - yes, you have the right to inspect anyone's bags as they leave your shop but please do it in a less confronting and accusing manner. It would interesting to see if you would have been as confronting and quick to accuse a middle aged man or woman in this situation.

As we left 'Gungahlin Centre News' the staff member did apologise "for offending me" - if only he knew how much he had!

Well for what it's worth, I'll never walk into 'Gungahlin Centre News' again. There is a very good newsagency opposite Coles Supermarket in The 'G' Gungahlin complex where the staff are friendly and welcoming and I'll be using this newsagency 100% of the time from now on!

This was posted by 'Gungahlin' on behalf of a very upset long-time local resident: I just wanted to share a traumatising experience my three children (aged 11, 9 and 6) had whilst browsing in the 'Gungahlin Centre News' (next to Woolworths) in the Gungahlin Marketplace on Friday, 9 January 2009. I had raced into Woolworths to pick up some drinks for the kids and they asked if they could look in the 'Gungahlin Centre News' whilst they were waiting for me. I was gone 5 minutes and when I called them out of the shop the (young) male staff member stopped them. I heard him say "aren't you going to pay for that"? I looked on briefly as my kids politely explained to him that they had bought it from Big W and that they had the receipt. By now I was standing next to them and asked him "what was going on". Here are the facts: We had bought a couple of things at Big W about 15 minutes before entering the 'Gungahlin Centre News' (some boys t-shirts and a girls pencil case). Whilst in 'Gungahlin Centre News' the pencil case had fallen out of the Big W bag and my daughter had picked it up and put it back in. At the time the male staff member was watching and my daughter had said to him - "it's my pencil case we just bought at Big W". My daughter then clearly heard him say to the female staff member (who turned out to be the manager of 'Gungahlin Centre News') "that girl has just stolen a pencil case". My kids continued to look around the shop for another minute while waiting for me. It was then that I returned and called them out of the 'Gungahlin Centre News' where they were 'accosted' by the male staff member. Even after seeing the receipt which clearly showed the pencil case had been bought at Big W 15 minutes earlier, he was very accusing of the children. As this male pointed out to me "we have a right to search someone's bags if we are suspicious Sir" - Yes, I totally agree they do, but... they do not have the right to traumatise three innocent kids who were doing nothing more than looking in a shop. I know everyone says their kids are good and wouldn't do anything wrong but, trust me, stealing is something my kids have been brought up to not do! This incident has really affected the kids and they came home and cried for 20 minutes because they were so upset. I tried to explain to them that the man was just checking as he has the right to do, but like my daughter said "dad I told him when I was putting it back in the bag that I had bought it from Big W and he didn't say anything until we were leaving". Note to 'Gungahlin Centre News' - yes, you have the right to inspect anyone's bags as they leave your shop but please do it in a less confronting and accusing manner. It would interesting to see if you would have been as confronting and quick to accuse a middle aged man or woman in this situation. As we left 'Gungahlin Centre News' the staff member did apologise "for offending me" - if only he knew how much he had! Well for what it's worth, I'll never walk into 'Gungahlin Centre News' again. There is a very good newsagency opposite Coles Supermarket in The 'G' Gungahlin complex where the staff are friendly and welcoming and I'll be using this newsagency 100% of the time from now on!

I just stumbled across this and made an account to post a reply

I'm the staff 'young male staff member' who you mentioned..
I no longer work there.. and I now live in Brisbane.. But I just want to mention that I am sorry for what happened.. I wasn't aware at the time of the proper procedures of searching customers bags.. I admit I went about it the wrong way.. and I did receive a very long talking to about it from my boss afterwards.. So it didn't go unnoticed by the store..

I respect the fact you will no longer shop there.. I don't have any affiliation with the store any more but I just don't want the fact that I messed up to cop the store a bad reputation.. the staff are usually extremely nice..

Hope this clears it up a little?

Josh

I just stumbled across this and made an account to post a reply I'm the staff 'young male staff member' who you mentioned.. I no longer work there.. and I now live in Brisbane.. But I just want to mention that I am sorry for what happened.. I wasn't aware at the time of the proper procedures of searching customers bags.. I admit I went about it the wrong way.. and I did receive a very long talking to about it from my boss afterwards.. So it didn't go unnoticed by the store.. I respect the fact you will no longer shop there.. I don't have any affiliation with the store any more but I just don't want the fact that I messed up to cop the store a bad reputation.. the staff are usually extremely nice.. Hope this clears it up a little? Josh

I just read through this again.
When I was watching the kids.. they were looking through the pencil cases in the store... I first noticed them when I first saw the girl (sorry.. Don't know her name) putting a pencil case in the big W bag.
At that point I didn't say anything to them.. And the girl absolutely did not say anything to me about buying it from big W..
Also when I was showed the recipt, I immediately said sorry because I realised they did not steal the pencil case.

I realise I did the wrong thing but those details just bugged me a bit..

I just read through this again. When I was watching the kids.. they were looking through the pencil cases in the store... I first noticed them when I first saw the girl (sorry.. Don't know her name) putting a pencil case in the big W bag. At that point I didn't say anything to them.. And the girl absolutely did not say anything to me about buying it from big W.. Also when I was showed the recipt, I immediately said sorry because I realised they did not steal the pencil case. I realise I did the wrong thing but those details just bugged me a bit..

This was posted by 'Gungahlin' on behalf of a (previously) very upset long-time local resident:

Hi Josh

Thanks for your post.

Thank you also for showing the courage and conviction to provide such a well considered response - you have shown a great deal of maturity and your apologising comments are appreciated. You're a good guy.

I would also like to apologise to you - I am also sorry if you got into any trouble over the 'incident' it certainly wasn't my intention. I was just so very upset and angry (as well as pretty embarrassed) at the time. I do appreciate that you were just doing your job and, as I said, I know you were not to know that my children don't steal as I know unfortunately some do.

The kids are fine now and I think everyone involved has learnt a valuable lesson (including me). I should have handled the situation a little better myself. Hey, I'll even visit the Centre News again.

I wish you all the very best in the future Josh and hope you're having fun up in Queensland. What are you doing with yourself?

Thanks again for your post.

This was posted by 'Gungahlin' on behalf of a (previously) very upset long-time local resident: Hi Josh Thanks for your post. Thank you also for showing the courage and conviction to provide such a well considered response - you have shown a great deal of maturity and your apologising comments are appreciated. You're a good guy. I would also like to apologise to you - I am also sorry if you got into any trouble over the 'incident' it certainly wasn't my intention. I was just so very upset and angry (as well as pretty embarrassed) at the time. I do appreciate that you were just doing your job and, as I said, I know you were not to know that my children don't steal as I know unfortunately some do. The kids are fine now and I think everyone involved has learnt a valuable lesson (including me). I should have handled the situation a little better myself. Hey, I'll even visit the Centre News again. I wish you all the very best in the future Josh and hope you're having fun up in Queensland. What are you doing with yourself? Thanks again for your post.

I did not think your conduct was proper as a father. You are too intent on pressing upon your kids that that guy "had a right to search the children's bags if he was suspicious" I don't agree. When the receipt is being shown even then the staff member is trying to browbeat the children into submission. I would have really told him off and asked him if he was f**king crazy to act like a jail warden just because he was suspicious. The law or common tenets of decency does not give rights to harass just because a man of limited intelligence is suspicious. Suspicious, my foot, that man was just jealous of a happy childhood. Your weak conduct made the kids cry at home. Please remember that. They looked up to you for support while you made a song and dance about the staff member's right to search their bags.

I did not think your conduct was proper as a father. You are too intent on pressing upon your kids that that guy "had a right to search the children's bags if he was suspicious" I don't agree. When the receipt is being shown even then the staff member is trying to browbeat the children into submission. I would have really told him off and asked him if he was f**king crazy to act like a jail warden just because he was suspicious. The law or common tenets of decency does not give rights to harass just because a man of limited intelligence is suspicious. Suspicious, my foot, that man was just jealous of a happy childhood. Your weak conduct made the kids cry at home. Please remember that. They looked up to you for support while you made a song and dance about the staff member's right to search their bags.

That staff member deliberately told him colleague that the girl had stolen a pencil case deliberately. This was done to make your daughter feel bad. His reply as an afterthought in this forum displays his guilty behaviour. He is just trying to get close.

That staff member deliberately told him colleague that the girl had stolen a pencil case deliberately. This was done to make your daughter feel bad. His reply as an afterthought in this forum displays his guilty behaviour. He is just trying to get close.