School pupils wrongly accused and search, then banned without apology

by WO Staff | Woolwich

Woolwich:- Two school children who were wrongly accused, rummaged and discharged without apology, said they would report the incident to their school teacher.

Four pupils of St, Paul's Academy, Abbey Wood stopped at the Town Centre to buy snacks on their way to school this morning, but as they left the 99p Store in Powis Street, a staff chased after them.

The staff was followed closely by the Security man and together both searched them for stolen items, but when they found nothing on them, they left without apology, instead telling them not to come into the store again.

The children said, "they chased after us unto the road and asked whether we stole something from the store and when we told them no, they said they had to search us, that's when they searched our bags."

Asked what happened when the men found no stolen items with them, the children said "they told us not to come to the store again, and walked back inside."

Our informant who was watching from the top floor of one of the building in the town centre, took photos of the incident.

They men could be seen searching the children, and when nothing was found, they turned and walked away without apology. The children went to meet their mates who were also shopping in nearby Greggs.

An onlooker said, "while there is no doubt that some children shoplift, its not every child that does so", adding "Besides, a trained Security-man should at least have taken the kids inside before conducting the search. Instead, they rummaged their bags in open street and still did not apologise."

The pupils said they would report to their headteacher what has happened.