WA shoppers left baffled by strange security requests

Concerned community members have spoken out after being subjected to bizarre random security checks after finishing their grocery shopping at several Perth stores.

Calling in to Radio 6PR on Thursday morning, Sarah, who asked not to reveal her surname, said she had just finished shopping at Coles in Flinders Square, near Yokine, and was in the car park when she was approached by two men who demanded to look through her bags and see the receipt.

Sarah suggested if theft was such an issue, the self-serve checkouts should go. Credit: Louie Douvis

The men were not in any uniform, and did not explain who they were before asking for the proof, Sarah said. It was the second time it had happened to her this year.

“They rummaged through my bags and got me to take everything out, and I was quite shocked because it was a bit of a violation of my privacy,” she said.

“I’m a teacher in the area and this was done in the public eye, and I could have had parents walking by thinking I was a shoplifter because they really painted me out to be a criminal.

“I have been scammed really badly over the past few years so it was quite traumatic for me because I thought that was happening again, you know, that someone was trying to grab my stuff.”

Sarah said one of the men had briefly flashed her an identification card, but she hadn’t been able to read it.

“The first time it happened to me earlier on in the year, I did actually rush back to Coles because I was so panicked,” she said.

“One of the shop assistants said: ‘Oh yeah, yeah, they work for us. You’re fine’. I complained about it at that time, and they said they would do something about it, and I never heard anything from that, and I’ve complained again this time.

“Who knows if they’ll do anything.”

Another caller suggested the same was happening in Midland, but the security guards were working for a rival company he did not name.

Flinders Square manager Triona O’Shaughnessy told this masthead Sarah’s mother had called them on Wednesday to report the incident, and that they were looking into it.

She said it was of “massive concern” and that the centre’s own security guards were always in uniform.

Coles would not explicitly confirm or deny that their security was involved in the incident, but they did state that “measures like this are for the ones who try to leave without paying.”

“We take customer feedback seriously and encourage customers to let us know about situations like this so we can investigate and provide feedback to our security team if needed,” a Coles spokesperson said.

Lawyer from MKI Legal Nick Marouchak said security guards were not allowed to search bags if they were told no, and recommended anyone approached in such a manner should say no, especially if they were worried those asking were not legitimate.

However, he did say there was a possibility they would perform a citizens arrest if they suspected shoplifting had occurred, but that they could only hold someone until police arrived.

Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.