****** while shopping in Checkers Cradlestone Mall - SHOCKING non-existent customer care and poor assistance of situation

Item: Checkers & Checkers Hypers
Rating: 1
Author: charliekingblues C

Hi there, I was ****** while shopping at Cradlestone Mall on Sunday, 10th of July 2016, at about 3pm. As I can't accuse this person, I'm almost sure it was one of the Fruit and Veg staff, as he kept hovering around me for no reason. I even took my cell phone out of my bag and held it in my hand for fear of having my phone ****** from my bag. He hung around me, even outside his work area, followed me to the Deli area and when I checked again, my wallet was gone from my hand bag! I guess it's my own fault for putting my handbag in the basket trolley and I should have been more aware, but this is a store that I shop in weekly and I felt comfortable and safe. The moment I realised my wallet was ******, I called for security and store management. The reaction was a joke!!! The first store manager was at the entrance' security guard, having his "lunch purchase" security cleared and was not much interested in assisting me in my aweful state, as he was about to go and have lunch. Just mentioned, non-chalantly that he'll check the footage "just now". I was left standing at the shop entrance with no status update. Not once did any of the Checkers staff / management apologise or said that they were sorry for what's happened or showed any sympahty of the theft. I was in a complete state of shock and they did not offer me any water or a seat to sit and wait, away from the public eye or anywhere in the shop. I couldn't leave the centre as my parking ticket and money was gone! I couldn't buy a coldrink or anything as my wallet was gone! I was in such a state of disbelief and no one cared. After quite some time, another manager, this time a regional manager that happened to be in the store, approuched me and asked me a few questions about what happened.. he said they could search the staff member's locker, but I said what's the point as they pass the wallet around and won't put it in their locker and should rather search the store bins, etc. He said it's protocol to search the locker and surprise surprise my wallet wasn't there... He mentioned there's cctv footage that he'll look at. He refused to show me the cctv footage as that's their rules? Probably to protect their reputation and their staff members. He said that only the police may view the footage, so I called the police. The SAPS took 2 hours to get there and view the footage. The ***** knew exactly where the camera's blind spot is, so there's no proof, no footage of my wallet being removed from my handbag, but I know for sure which staff member was following me around for no reason and he's the only one that was close enough to my handbag to take my wallet. I know people get pick-pocketed every day. I know a ****** wallet is not much of a crime compared to all the violent crime taking place in SA, but all I wanted was for Checkers' management to IMMEDIATELY look at the footage and make an EFFORT to try and catch the culprit or atleast follow "the alleget person that took my wallet" (according to Checkers Managment a slender African lady with braids walked out the shop with something under her arm, but could'nt tell if it's my wallet) so that I can pick it from the bin where it would be dumped once they've taken the cash out. I'm now having to replace ALL my store cards, debit and credit cards, my driver's license, my ID book, etc. It's such a long process to re-apply for all of the above. Even if we couldn't find the culprit or my wallet, I feel that Checkers Cradlestone Mall Management handled with no sense of urgency, no sympathy and they were extemely unprofessional. I felt like the ******** and I was the victim. I want to know... WHAT IS CHECKERS' MANAGEMENT PROCESS / PROTOCAL FOR INSTORE THEFT? AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO IMPROVE THEIR SECURITY FOR IN-HOUSE STAFF AND OUTSIDER ********* ROBBING THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS? At this stage, after shopping at Checkers for many years and spending thousands of rands at their store on a weekly and monthly basis, I refuse to shop at ANY CHECKERS until I see some kind of PUBLIC CAMPAIGN to improve security. Or.. they could at the very least put sign boards up to warn people of the crime in their store and to be aware and report any suspicious people or activities in the store. But hey... as I've now experienced for myself.. they simply couldn't give a ****!!! Checkers Customer Service is NON EXISTING!!! When I called the Customer care number to report the above, I was simply told that they will forward the complaint to the store's management, who will then take it further. REALLY??? You want to forward a complaint about the store management.. to the Store's management? What has this world come to??? www.STUPID.com aka / CHECKERS!!!!!!!!!!

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