Fair enough lets leave that bit out but I know that I did not at any time try to conceal the aftershave.There was no cctv footage of the incident but there was of me handing it back to the salesgirl to pay.I asked right at the beginning were they sure they had the right people because I knew neither of us had done anything wrong and why after initially being asked to leave the mall did the head of security then say he was happy for us to continue shopping.I just want to know why there are no laws in place to protect people who have genuinely done nothing wrong except try to have a nice day out

I had bought a bottle of aftershave whilst with my partner.We left the store and strolled round a while then went in to whsmith.My partner wandered off looking for a gift and I stared at the best sellers list lookng for a book I've been waiting to come out in paperback.I got a phone call from my partner to say we were wanted outside the store to which we happily complied.The security guard asked us to leave the mall as "they didn't like the way we were shopping."Admittedly I laughed at this because I thought I'm 50 yrs old and fancy not knowing how to shop properly at my age.Then he said he was sorry it hadn't come from him but from "upstairs."I said "well I'm sorry too because I'm not leaving here until I find out what we have supposed to have done wrong."He led us to a public area by some lifts and a customer service stall and after a few minutes a policeman appeared and said I'd been seen putting a large bottle of aftershave in to my handbag realised I'd been "spotted" and removed it then gone and paid for it.I calmly (though i was seething inside) explained to the policeman at NO TIME WHATSOEVER did the aftershave go near my handbag and that I wanted to see the cctv footage of this imaginary incident and also the person who had accused me.We then along with another security guard walked back to Debenhams and a man approached the policeman and gave his version of events.I asked for the person who supposingly saw me to be brought out I was denied I asked for the salesgirl to be brought out who I told at the time just give me a minute to talk to my partner while we discuss whether to buy as she said there were only 2 bottles left and to hurry (which is why I picked the bottle up in the first place) I was denied.I was told I wasn't seen on cctv putting the aftershave in my bag an taking it out again but was seen going three steps back to the salesgirl handing her the bottle to say yes we'd like to purchase this please.We were stood in the middle of an aisle with two salesgirls to my left and two to my right and I was sideways on to them so I would have had to have been nuts to have even thought about stealing anything.I offered to provide receipts and for them to check all my bags and handbag and they all refused.After all this humiliation the mall security guard said he was happy for me to carry on shopping.I'm pretty sure the store guard was just pure and simple racist because we are a mixed race couple and I would lose my job as well if I had any marks against my name.All this was played out in public.It seems the stores have all these rights but the innocent have none.

.So what would happen if someone accused you falsely of stealing and having no evidence at all (because it didn't happen) and you are refused to see cctv because they say it hasn't been recorded and they the radio to other different retailers telling them they think you are a thief and being asked to leave the mall when all along you know you have done nothing wrong and the only reason you can think this person would say this about you is because you are part of a mixed race couple and not charged with any offence or cautioned and then security of the mall says you can carry on shopping because he believes you rather than the store guard.Surely i must have some rights.

Luckily for me my daughter is a lawyer though not in this subject.So I am having her look into the legal aspects obviously she has many friends who are lawyers in various specialitists.To be honest I don,t care about the cost . my good name and the principle is the case here for me I,m afraid.

Thank you for the reply I already contacted customer services and wrote to head office.I didn't ask for anything just that I'd been wrongly accused.I asked at the time to see cctv footage which they declined. I asked for the salesgirl to be brought out so she could verify that she had heard us discussing if to buy or not.I also asked to speak to the person who thought they saw what they obviously so didn't again they declined. I wasn't stopped at all in Debenhams I was stopped outside WhSmiths and asked to leave their mall for reasons I explained before.So obviously it was related back to a third party that they thought I was a thief. It was all played out in public not once was I offered anywhere to speak privately.I openly offered them to search our bags and my handbag and was declined. To me this amounts to slandering my good name.I have no criminal record what so ever not even points on my driving licence and neither has my partner.What I want to know is if I can sue for slander as I am 100% sure that aftershave never went near my bag.I was stood in the middle of an aisle with two sale girls at either side of me in full view of everyone and I was side on to them so if I'd done what they said I would have had to have been pretty stupid. It was supposed to be a relaxing day out for me before a hospital procedure today that I'm very scared about having already had one major operation this year.As it is I haven't eaten or slept since I've been so distressed.

Default falsely accused of shoplifting I was in a shopping mall with my partner yesterday when we were approached by a security guard and asked to leave the mall as "we weren't shopping to their satisfaction." Admittedly I laughed at first and said "why is there a special way to shop?". He apologised and said it wasn't under his orders but had come from "upstairs". Of course we refused to leave until given a full explanation as to why we were asked to leave. A policeman appeared and said that I had been seen in Debenhams placing a large box of aftershave in my handbag then taking it out again because I knew I'd been "spotted". In reality the salesgirl had told us this aftershave was a limited edition with only two bottles remaining and there was also a free sample along with it. Admittedly I picked up the bottle and took a few steps away from her and spoke to my partner about what a bargain it was when a 75ml was £66 but 180ml was only £10 pounds more. My partner had recently bought a new bottle so we conversed about to buy or not. During this time I was sideways on to two salesgirls in the dior department and sideways on to the salesgirl we had just spoken to so not out of anyones sight in fact the middle of an aisle. So we decide to buy the aftershave go back to the salesgirl hand her the box and ask for the free sample which she then carries to the till and I pay for with my debenhams card. All is well with the world I thought. We then proceeded to walk the full length of the mall looking for whsmiths for my partner to buy his niece an educational gift for her birthday. I happily stared at the top book list whilst he went looking for a gift to get the call from my partner to say we were wanted outside. Now as I explained to the police and head of security I had the box at all times in the opposite hand to my handbag and at no time EVER did I try to place it in my bag. The store detective claimed I'd been seen placing it in to my handbag (would have taken ten minutes of fumbling to have done that as not large bag and as usual full of a womans junk) then "spotted" I'd been seen so took it back out of my bag and went to the salesgirl to pay for it. Does this sound like the actions of a thief would I have not just put it back on the shelf rather than shell out £76 on aftershave?? None of it made any sense when I asked to see cctv footage of this "alleged" crime I was told it wasn't on cctv but it was on cctv me going back over to the salesgirl and my transaction taking place. The store "detective" would not let the salesgirl verify that she had heard us debating over the purchase and would not allow us back in the store. However the head of security of the mall said "it was stupid" and that he was quite happy for us to carry on shopping in the rest of the mall. I opened up my bag to prove I wouldn't have got a bottle that size in my bag and offered for them to check other items and receipts for other items we'd bought but they all declined. I told them I would take this as far as I possibly could as the only explanation I could think of is that we are a mixed race couple and someone took objection to this. I'd like to know my legal rights please and how far I can take this false accusation. I felt really humiliated as all this was played out in public.