#380 - Never a dull moment

Last evening at work was very interesting. We had a shoplifter in the store. The worst part was my co-worker saw her put something in her bag just after she arrived and she stayed for over an hour after that. I didn't think she was ever going to leave and we just wanted to get it over with!

Given that I haven't worked in retail most of my life the thought of confronting her scared the crap out of me. (That and you never know with people these days). Anyway my coworker was totally cool with confronting her. I said I have your back, since the thief was twice her size.

The lady even bought stuff before she left the store. She was trying to confuse us by changing stuff in and out of her order, but both of us were there so I worked on getting it rung in and my coworker dealt with her. I was freaked about how she was going to pay I was so glad it wasn't a credit card! I am surprised everyone didn't hear my sigh of relief after! :) (One of my other co-workers laughed when I asked her if that was everything... then after she said no... I said Are you sure?)

If you don't know already you have to wait to confront a shoplifter until after they leave the store. So we waited and waited and waited.... you get the picture! Minutes seem like hours in that situation, never mind HOURS!!! Well my coworker dragged her back in after she confronted her out of the store and hollered at me to call the police.

We have decided that I am not doing that again. I didn't have the correct street name and they kept saying Ma'am what street are you on... I wanted to tell the operator to freaking google it. It's hard to concentrate on a phone call when you are trying to make sure your co-worker is OK. Not to mention that the lady was getting agitated and I was starting to worry. I finally handed the phone off to another co-worker and said can you tell them where the heck we are. I needed to go help my friend anyway as the lady wanted to leave the store.

We had the door locked and my teeny tiny friend was standing in front of the door in kind of the corner. So I stood in front of her. The lady tried to push behind me to unlock the door. I gently pushed her arm down beside her side and told her that she had to wait for the Police. She said she was going to charge me with assault. I said go ahead! She really wanted out of there (hmmm I wonder why... she had dumped one bag and said 'ooo I forgot about it, here is all your stuff back' then it was 'I'll pay for it'. We won't mention that she still had another larger bag full of stuff in her other hand.)

Her next project was to try to intimidate me! I was just standing staring at her with a nasty look. I wasn't going to engage her in any conversation as it was pointless anyway so I just stared... She decided that she was going to try to stare me down. HA HA HA HA... I have twins and 2 year old I have PRACTICE lady! LOL

Needless to say I think it ended up freaking her out that I was coming off as being so confident (if she only knew... I had spent the last hour determining that I outweighed her and I should be able to tackle her if I had too! LOL Oh ya and that I am SO non-confrontational and a wimp to boot!) It's amazing what a good nasty stare can do? Anyway I think she realized that she wasn't getting by me and she started to calm down and go on with the pleading... I told her to save it for the Police I wasn't interested. She then started to pick up the stuff she dumped on the floor. I told her not to touch it, she said I need to clean it up. I said step away from the merchandise NOW... in a nasty form of my Mommy stern voice!

Well I was very happy to see the police and they took her off to the car so we didn't have to listen to her any more. They eventually came in with the other bag of stuff... she nabbed close to $500 in product. She was even taking rolls of ribbon from beside the front counter where at least one of us was standing the entire time.

I did feel bad for her as she obviously has a big issue. I am sure hoping that she gets the help she desperately needs. It truly is amazing what people will say/do to get out of trouble when they are caught red handed.

I really hope I don't ever have to go through that again.... but ya never know I suppose, at least I know what to do the next time if I ever have to confront someone.

I was so ill after that I was up most of the night last night feeling kind of sick.

So here is my funny thing I realized today. I have always been a fan on Angelina Jolie movies. You know the ones where the HOT chick kicks some a**! I thought it would be so cool to be tough and hot at the same time! It was my Angie moment last night (no physical violence, but whatever). I got to scare someone into realizing that they shouldn't cross me and I was really HOT (It was HOT in the store the temp was set to high! LOL). Oh yes and I was fighting crime too! :) So I can cross something of my bucket list now!!! LOL (Oh ya I have a new nickname at the store "the muscle", I wonder if I get paid more for that?)

Today was kind of boring in comparison... working on my taxes... YUCK!

KIDDO NOTES

I got to spend the afternoon making lego houses for the kids! They all complain I am too slow. Baby was right in there trying to 'help'. I couldn't see what I was doing as she was between my legs right in front of me. It was a good day! :)