The Shoplifter Who Offers Cash
You are working a daytime shift at the entrance of a supermarket. A colleague radios that a man has left the store with a basket of goods worth about £40 without paying. You see him walking briskly across the car park toward a waiting car. You are a lone guard, unarmed, and the store policy states that guards must not pursue suspects beyond the boundary of the car park and must not make physical contact. The man is about 30, taller and heavier than you, and is not visibly aggressive. As you approach at a distance and identify yourself, he stops, says 'look, just take £50 and forget it', and holds out cash.
1. Should you accept the cash or attempt to detain him?
Read the worked answer
Accept neither the cash nor an attempt at physical detention. Reasoning:
- Taking cash is not a lawful resolution - it is not restitution you are authorised to accept, it could be construed as compounding or a bribe, and it removes the evidence trail. Decline it and say why.
- Detaining him physically is outside your authority and contrary to store policy (no physical contact, no pursuit beyond the car park). A citizen's arrest power exists only in narrow circumstances and is not something to exercise over a £40 shoplifting matter with a larger, unknown subject.
- Your lawful, safe options are: observe, record, report, and preserve evidence for the police and store.
2. What should you actually do in the moment?
Read the worked answer
Act within policy and your safety:
- Keep a safe distance, stay in a public, well-lit area, and do not block his path or the car.
- Clearly state that you cannot accept payment and that the matter will be reported.
- Note a description (clothing, height/build, direction of travel) and the vehicle (make, colour, registration) if safe to do so - never put yourself in front of a moving vehicle.
- If he leaves, let him go; do not pursue beyond the boundary.
- Ask a colleague to preserve CCTV of the incident and the till/exit area.
- Call the police if the store's policy requires it for theft, giving your observations.
3. How would you document and hand over the incident?
Read the worked answer
Write a factual, non-conclusory report:
- Date, time, location, your role and that you were alone.
- What your colleague reported and what you personally observed (do not present hearsay as your own observation).
- The exact words used and that cash was offered and declined, with the amount if known.
- Description and vehicle details only to the extent you actually saw them; state uncertainty where it exists.
- Actions taken (no pursuit, no contact, CCTV preserved, police informed or not) and the reason.
- Sign, date and submit to the supervisor; retain a copy per policy. Avoid opinions like 'he was definitely a thief' - record behaviour, not conclusions.