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#Post#: 415--------------------------------------------------
Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my shop
!!!!
By: fancydressfanatics Date: December 18, 2013, 12:04 pm
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I've been having a nightmare time with a local drunk. Well, a
few actually, but one in particular causes me extra grief.
This one has cornered me outside my shop on several occasions,
best way to describe his actions is 'Pervy without touching'.
He's passed out drunk in out doorway over Halloween (scaring off
customers) and we had to get the police down to help us move him
on.
Yesterday he came in asking for free coffee, meanwhile trying to
look behind the counter, now today, he's been in the shop while
I was helping someone with a hire costume and he came in and
urinated on my shop floor. I didn't see him do it, but another
customer described the person who came into the shop and I'm
pretty sure it's him.
Annoyingly I don't have it on camera, so I don't have anything
to prove he did it or use to report him. He seems to be ramping
up a bit so I'm a bit worried about what he might do next. Any
suggestions from other retailers? There's a lot of 'Characters'
like this in the area. Has anyone else had a similar situation
before?
Sadly he's not the only one. I have a few characters who come in
causing trouble. But this is the first one to do something I'm
sure I must be able to do something about. The rest come in and
just upset other customers (or I have one that comes in and
stands at my counter just staring at me for 10 mins until he
finally leaves).
Days like this are a bit of a challenge!!!!!
#Post#: 416--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: Bill Date: December 19, 2013, 2:46 am
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Fran, I sympathise. We all get this, in retail, and shops with
only one attendant seem to get it more.
It's likely that being a woman you get even more.
Tell the police about your urinator, (the word used in context
here, rather than the historical usage!) even though you don't
have proof.
I suggest a security camera with recording, and once you have
that working don't hesitate to ask people to leave, firmly, if
you don't want them in the shop. They are not customers,
probably never will be. Even if they were, the customer isn't
always right.
Is there someone nearby you can call, to give you backup when
you need it? Anyone else will do, but I have to say a firm man
would be best.
Bill
#Post#: 417--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: fancydressfanatics Date: December 19, 2013, 8:22 am
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Hi Bill,
As it happens the ****(insert suitable expletive here) was being
arrested outside when I opened my shop this morning. Spoke to
the officer there and he sent down the community officer to me
for a chat. He's taken a statement and we had a long chat about
the issues I've had with him. The Officer thinks he's started to
recognise me as he's been cornering me on the street as well as
coming into the shop so they're going to do what they can.
He's been a problem to several traders, and a few of the others
are also giving statements, but as you say, being a female on my
own I've become a little bit of a target. The other 'characters'
I have problems with are known by the police apart from one,
who's causing them a bit of concern after what I explained had
happened here last week, so they're keeping an eye out for him
so they can see if he's doing anything else.
He's suggested that things have escalated because I was nice to
some of these 'characters' at first (I was polite, I'm a polite
girl, what else would I do!). You just don't expect such things
to happen when you first open a business. But I got some very
good advice which really helped.
My fiance is coming straight down after work to install security
cameras as this has just shown we really need to get that sorted
asap.
Annoyingly my friends who live locally are all at work in my
opening hours, but I'm going to have a chat with Dom later in
the cafe a few doors down and see if I can call on him if I need
to. I have a rape alarm we thought we'd use so if he can hear it
he knows to pop in and check on me. He's a lovely guy so I'm
sure he would. I totally agree with it needing a firm man. I'm a
5'2" petite girl and I don't look like the sort of person who
can handle herself. I'm no mad feminist - there are situations
when women aren't equal to men, and this is one of them.
It does make me concerned though about employing people in the
future. If I employed a girl and the same kind of thing
happened, would they be able to take me to some kind of tribunal
for letting them work alone with such goings on? I haven't got
into looking up any legalities of employees and employee safety
yet, no need until I'm in that position, but it's got me
thinking.
#Post#: 418--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: Millards Date: December 19, 2013, 8:30 am
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Hi Fran,
Try asking the Police if there is any possibilty of having these
people banned for the area. Apparently this can be done.
Vince.
#Post#: 419--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: fancydressfanatics Date: December 19, 2013, 8:44 am
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That's what they're trying to do at the moment. They're hoping
to lock him up for a little while, get him off the booze for a
bit, and hoping to have him banned from the area. Depends on how
these statements go and a court appearance.
#Post#: 420--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: Bill Date: December 19, 2013, 9:45 am
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The GRTA should be able to back you up on this. If the BID goes
ahead, you could ask to get such types banned from the BID area!
;D
#Post#: 421--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: James Ayliffe Date: December 20, 2013, 3:25 pm
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Fran,
I'm sorry I haven't replied earlier. The best thing you can do
is both inform the police every time there is an issue (even if
it is minor and the guy leaves just use the non-urgent number)
and keep a log for yourself of the incidents for evidence. It
doesn't take much for the courts to grant an exclusion based
ASBO or similar which would prevent him from entering your shop
at a minimum but more likely the general area. I'd talk to the
shopkeepers around you and see if they've had the same problem.
If you all report it is far more likely the police/cps will do
something. It is probably worth finding out who is the local
liaison officer with the police and getting in touch with
him/her too.
Of course that doesn't stop things in the short term and if you
ever need a hand with a drunk then feel free to give me a call.
Sadly drunks are a peril of the job.
James
#Post#: 422--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: fancydressfanatics Date: December 21, 2013, 6:49 am
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Thanks James!
Police have got the situation in hand thankfully. They've been
interviewing a number of local traders and building up a case,
but apparently I'm their main witness after the issues I've had.
He's had me up against a wall twice (not touching, just trapping
me) and he has a history of exposing himself and 'playing' with
himself in public, so the police think it will help build up a
case and get something done. Especially as he'd started
approaching some of the kids from Colston Girls School.
He's being held until Monday and he's being analysed by
professionals to decide if it's a mental issue or just alcohol.
He's been analysed before, and the analysis changes. If they
find it's just alcohol related he'll go to court. Unfortunately
this apparently means I'll have to go to court too which is an
arse as it means shutting the shop.
Anyway, the lovely community officer/liason officer (or whatever
his title is) popped in yesterday with a personal alarm for me
to carry, and has had a word with one of the other worrying
'characters' and banned him from the shop. Dominic from Do Lii's
a couple of doors down has given me his number and said if I
have any problems, call or text and he'll run over.
All's well again but I still can't believe someone actually
urinated in my shop! We all have issues with the odd few members
of the public, but you expect that. Urination you don't! Yuck.
I think this is one way that this forum could benefit all of the
traders if they all got on board. Being able to chat about local
issues like this and making others aware of issues they might
not have experienced yet, or people they need to watch out for
might help.
#Post#: 423--------------------------------------------------
Re: Trouble with a local drunk - final straw, he urinated in my
shop!!!!
By: Bill Date: December 21, 2013, 8:23 am
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[quote]I think this is one way that this forum could benefit all
of the traders if they all got on board. Being able to chat
about local issues like this and making others aware of issues
they might not have experienced yet, or people they need to
watch out for might help. [/quote]
Yes, a forum can be very useful.
I don't hold out much hope for it if the plan to divide the road
goes ahead, though.
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