Poll of the Day > Why do people feel entitled to try and break into stores?

(+) Yeah! (+)

So all stores have a closing time, I understand that some times people don't know and might pull the door only to realize it's closed cool. But then there are the people who see it's locked and immediately respond by then immediately yanking on the door as hard as they can looking confused looking at the time and then yanking even harder on the door despite being aware it is closed.

Tonight was fun 2 guys who look like druggies who want to rob me are yanking on the door before finally pounding (knocking) on the door so I sigh and walk over to it and stick my head out "Something I can help you with?" "Do you sell *x item that doesn't make sense that we would sell*?" "No" then a 3rd guy who says "It says you close at 8" and I tap the glass where the hours are posted "It says I close at 7" like wtf. I get people think really lowly of people who work retail but how the fuck could I keep my job if I was just locking up whenever I felt like it?

But what I really want to know is lets say one of these times, like the guy last year who I almost called the police on actually succeeded and their violent pulling caused my lock to fail in some way. Then what? What is the plan? What do they expect to happen by breaking into my store? I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND and every time it happens it's like frustration that keeps building up because I don't understand their thought process.

Life is a video game. If I manage to speedrun or glitch into the store past closing your coding still obligates you to serve me.

Having worked retail for several years, I flatly refuse to go to any establishment within the last 10 minutes or so that they are open. And at least half an hour when restaurants are concerned.

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You're trying to understand someone who is seemingly on drugs. Still even when not under the influence some folk only think about themselves. IF they manage to break the lock and enter then yes the police should be called. Hell you could ask them to leave before that even happens. Nothing more you can do.

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if you thought they might rob you, why would you open the door to talk to them?
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

if you thought they might rob you, why would you open the door to talk to them?

Nah I was just being judgemental and commenting on their appearance. I ignore people pulling on the door, but if I hear knocking I feel like I "have" to answer even though I really don't.

if only the glass wasn't soundproof.
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BlackScythe0 posted...

Tonight was fun 2 guys who look like druggies...

There's your answer. Around here, there are a ton of meth addicts causing trouble. It's a clusterfuck. I just want them gone. They're a public safety hazard. Closing all the mental hospitals was easily the biggest mistake the government has ever made.

Raddest_Chad posted...

Closing all the mental hospitals was easily the biggest mistake the government has ever made.

Pretty sure that happened so long ago that 99% of that crop of mental health cases are dead, OD'd or hero'd by now.

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LuciferSage posted...

Pretty sure that happened so long ago that 99% of that crop of mental health cases are dead, OD'd or hero'd by now.

If they were still open they could shove all the bums in there instead of leaving them to pull knives on 7-year-olds and throw shit at people in restaurants (true stories).

I thought this was going to be about looters, which would have been a remarkably fast face turn from somebody who just months ago defended them by suggesting people are "rightfully angry" or some nonsense as a justification for robbing and burning businesses. I should have known that *this* would be the kind of breaking in -- ie, wanting you to extend closing time (something that back when I was in retail I'd do when feasible) -- that you'd actually take offense with. -_-

But sure, people should respect hours. However, if the register isn't closed out for the night and they're going to be fast, I never saw a problem. And that was just retail, not retail sales. Back when I worked in retail sales, you best believe I wasn't shutting shit down if somebody looked like they were going to buy.


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I thought it was pretty bad in the restaurant business, but then I worked in an optometry office frequented by the wealthy.

Hoooo boy those elderly can yank a door. Or, I told them we'd already closed...they'd say "Oh, I just want to come in and look at some frames!"

BITCH THAT TAKES FOREVER

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Zeus posted...

I thought this was going to be about looters, which would have been a remarkably fast face turn from somebody who just months ago defended them by suggesting people are "rightfully angry" or some nonsense as a justification for robbing and burning businesses. I should have known that *this* would be the kind of breaking in -- ie, wanting you to extend closing time (something that back when I was in retail I'd do when feasible) -- that you'd actually take offense with. -_-

But sure, people should respect hours. However, if the register isn't closed out for the night and they're going to be fast, I never saw a problem. And that was just retail, not retail sales. Back when I worked in retail sales, you best believe I wasn't shutting shit down if somebody looked like they were going to buy.

I mean that is generally what I do. When people say "I just want x" I'll take care of it, it's part of why I respond to people knocking, this is more about people trying to yank a door open when it is clearly locked and they don't see anyone around.

I think it's a mentality that happens to people who don't work in the service/retail industry. They think an employee is required to help them and will get fired if they don't; even when the request is unreasonable (like opening a store past closing), there's no way the employee could help (asking a non-beauty employee for help in the beauty section: Bonus points if it's a massive guy who clearly thinks foundations are for buildings instead of make-up while the actual beautician is just a short ways away. My poor co-workers...), or they're blatantly trying to engage in a criminal act (coupon scams, just giving the item for free, etc).

While working in retail I've seen, among other things, blatant coupon scams in which people try to use coupons for completely different products, gift card shuffles/scams (most common being using a stolen card to buy a bunch of gift cards), sob story begging, demands that we open because there's still employees in the store, demands that employees re-enter an already closed store that's been locked up and the employees are trying to get out of the parking lot but can't because a stupid customer parked in the only exit, charity scams (in which a person pretends to be buying for a charitable organization to get discounts on products which they later flip on ebay), and a huge classic of 'if you don't give me what I want I'm going to p***/s*** all over your restroom'. That last one was not a fun day... but my manager gave me a free 15, gift card, meal, and I was the store hero for a week after that issue was... resolved... Still not one of my happier moments.

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Unbridled9 posted...

'if you don't give me what I want I'm going to p***/s*** all over your restroom'

Cool, 100% sure whoever anyone would ever say that to isn't the one who cleans the restrooms.

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Zareth posted...

Cool, 100% sure whoever anyone would ever say that to isn't the one who cleans the restrooms.

In many smaller retail stores ALL CSA's are expected to do ALL jobs. So yes. I wasn't the one he said it to but that's only because I was busy helping to unload totes and not on main cash register at that moment.

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Unbridled9 posted...

I think it's a mentality that happens to people who don't work in the service/retail industry.

The kicker is that a lot of the people who frequently do things like this either DO work or have worked in those industries (although, in BS0's story, those guys sound like they might not work at all). In the case of somebody showing up around closing, oftentimes it might be somebody who works a job that lets about as late as the retailer does. Most people just working a 9-5 are going to show up earlier. And most stay-at-home spouses are just going to show during normal business hours.

Of course, having worked in both retail and sales (among other jobs), I have less patience for when I know somebody is trying to goldbrick precisely because I've seen things from the other side.

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