Thank you for replies so far. They clam they could not see the bracelets she was wearing on entry due to camera angles. I phoned head office to ask about getting hold of CCTV images but the woman knew nothing of data protection law (she said this) and went to talk to her manager. She cam back and said she would get one of the directors to phone me later in the week. She suggested I phone the store. I phoned the store and a shop assistant said she knew nothing of handling Subject Access Requests or data protection law, and that I would have to speak to the manager who would be back in tomorrow (today now). I intend to go to the store today and get the contact details of the Data Controller directly from the signs they should have displayed. I may have a word with the manager at the same time. I intend to get as many facts together as I can before going to a solicitor, if the turns out to be necessary. I have the user firstclassx put on ignore due to their assumptions about my motivations and general attitude, hence I won't be replying to their posts here.

Hi, I found this site through searching online for general advice on an incident which occurred yesterday afternoon. Thanks for any help anyone can give, apologies for length: My 13yr old daughter went shopping with her 13yr old friend alone in Liverpool city centre for the first time yesterday. Around 2pm she called me at home (I was looking after my younger daughter). She was obviously very distressed and crying. She told me that she was in her favourite fashion store and was being detained on suspicion of stealing a bracelet. She said they were demanding she produce a receipt to prove the bracelet had been purchased in the past as she asserted. I asked her to let me speak to the staff member. The supervisor confirmed the allegation saying another staff member had reported my daughter removing a bracelet from a stand and placing on her wrist. She asked me to find a receipt for the bracelet so she could check the number over the phone. I said it was very unlikely I would know where to find such a receipt. At this point I told them I would ring off and consult my wife on the matter over the phone. My wife had no idea where it might be so I rang my daughter back. I found her still in tears, but now she had been released. She had the presence of mind to remember a photo she had on her phone of her wearing the bracelet and showed it to the security guard who had by then been called to attend. He told her she could go. After checking she would be OK I phoned the store and asked who was in charge. I found the manager was away and spoke to the supervisor who detained my daughter. I took her name and gave her a fairly robust talking to without becoming actually abusive. She admitted that the only evidence was the observation made by another staff-member. I made further calls to the shopping centre security guards who attended and to register a complaint with the store's head office who promised to investigate and get back to me. Head office asked if I would accept a verbal apology from the supervisor, I said I wanted only written communication from her and hadn't decided on a course of action. Piecing together events it seems events unfolded as follows: The girls enter the store and browse. My daughter is wearing four silicone-rubber bracelets. Three of these had been purchased from the store; two last friday for which we have a receipt and one much earlier which appears in several family photos. While queuing with her friend who was making a purchase she was approached by the supervisor and asked if she has a receipt for the bracelet (in the photos). She said no as it was purchased months ago. The supervisor asked if she was sure. She said yes. As the girls were leaving the store the supervisor stopped my daughter and told her she suspected her of theft. This is when my daughter phoned me. The supervisor was apparently telling her unless she could get me to find the receipt in a short period she would involve the police. The supervisor had also called in the shopping-mall security staff. Security were apparently surprised to have been called in as they normally only deal with bigger threats than a crying girl. The guards told her if she had stolen the bracelet it would be better for her to confess. Eventually my daughter remembered the picture on her phone. The friend reports the guard looked pleased and showed it to the supervisor. The supervisor remarked "do we have to let them go then?". The guard then gave the girls some sort of warning about how things might appear while shopping and they were released. The friend reports overhearing the guard telling the supervisor something to the effect of "get your facts straight". My problems with this: 1. There was no evidence to support suspicion of theft. SCONE had not been properly applied as far as I can tell. I believe my daughter was wrongfully detained. 2. Calling in uniformed security guards when no threat is present and putting my 13yr old daughter under pressure without a responsible adult present amounts to bullying. 3. No duty of care was demonstrated with respect to the now traumatised girls. They were allowed to walk into the city centre in a more vulnerable state than when they went into the store. 4. No apology was offered to them when it was obvious that a mistake had been made. 5. I have suffered having to listen to my daughter being bullied, which has resulted in loss of sleep and stress. My wife has suffered similarly. Obviously I would like to take legal action over any or all of the above points. Any advice gratefully received.