Sunday 15 July 2007

Tesco stores close after threats

Vigilance urged over Tesco threat
 
 
A Tesco in Kirkcaldy, Fife
Reader James Collins photographed a shut Tesco in Kirkcaldy, Fife
Police have urged shoppers to be "vigilant at all times" after threats forced 14 Tesco stores to shut.

Police closed the shops across the UK on Saturday afternoon but they reopened for normal trading on Sunday.

Hertfordshire Police, which is leading the investigation, said each store had been searched and given the all-clear.

"There is still no reason to believe that the incidents are linked to extremism of any kind," the constabulary added.

One line of inquiry is of a possible financial motive behind the threats.

The supermarket giant is understood to have lost millions of pounds in sales as the 14 stores were forced to shut.

Hertfordshire Police said the stores were closed on Saturday as a precaution and no-one had been hurt.

Tesco is continuing to work closely with police, it added.

'Go home'

One store in Barnes, south west London, reopened on Saturday evening.

Tesco stores were closed in Port Talbot, south Wales, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, and Market Harborough and Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire.

Other branches shut down were in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; Hucknall, Notts; Hereford and Ledbury, both in Herefordshire; and Barnes, south west London.

It came over the tannoy that we were asked to leave - basically, go to the cashier, pay for your groceries and then leave
Martin Jacklin, Tesco customer ^ (I love how they asked the customers to PAY for their groceries first, before leaving the premises as their lives were at risk...money grabbing sods!)
 

And some Scottish branches of the supermarket were also closed in East Renfrewshire and Fife.

Other stores were closed in regions covered by the Lancashire and Humberside police forces.

Darren, an employee from the Ashby de la Zouch store, said staff were told to evacuate the shop.

"We were allowed to go back in to get our belongings," he said. "We had to be as quick as we possibly could.

"We were informed briefly that the store was going to be closed for the rest of the day and we could go home straight away."

Martin Jacklin was shopping in a Tesco store in Hucknall, Notts, when shoppers were told to take to vacate the premises.

He said: "Me, the wife and the children were in there, basically just doing a normal shop and it came over the tannoy that we were asked to leave, basically, go to the cashier, pay for your groceries and then leave.

A spokeswoman from Hertfordshire Police said the force was leading the nationwide "criminal investigation" because the retailer has its headquarters in the county.

 

Anyone else think that I picked the wrong time to start working here? Lol! Nah, I doubt that anything will happen, but it's just a scary thought.

 

Oh and I just found out that Tesco's have opened their first US store in Arizona. Hmm....I'm thinking TRANSFER! lol!

xx


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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG !! Pretty scary. Let us know what else happens.

Big hugs and stay safe

Ellen

Anonymous said...

Is NOTHING sacred anymore ?
Morrisons it is then. lol!!!

Anonymous said...

I best stick with ASDA! At least they wouldn't ask for you to pay for your groceries first! ;-)
Gaz

Anonymous said...

what's next?
be careful baby...
Lyn

Anonymous said...

YIKES!!!  I did not like reading that at all.  Be careful babes.... very very careful.
LMAO of course they asked them to pay first... it was either that or someone would have to put it all back.  You don't think for one minute they'd allow folks to walk out with their items, do you?  ::grin::  Transfer??  Wait til they open one in NY.  
love ya
xxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

This is scary Steve ,,and no reason given yet ? just be careful ..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

you wanna try working at a tesco fuel garage when that happens,we dont get time to get our posessions,if a suspect bag is found we legged it lol,pop over and see me soon hun xx zoe xx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/zoepaul6968/domestic-chaos/

Anonymous said...

I heard that on the news and wondered if your store was among those that closed.  Don't pack your bags just yet for the AZ store - they are only just starting to build it!
~~Kath~~

Anonymous said...

You take care of yourself Stevie ~ and be vigilant ~ as I know we all should ~ they still havn't said why they closed the stores ~ perhaps they will tell us soon ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Steve, that is scary, be careful ok, Hugs Lisa

Anonymous said...

Now this is odd... take care of yourself, Stevie.
Arizona? My great uncle lives there... and he comes here often to visit. *hint hint* lol

Love ya, and thanks for the excitement and support about my 5. I know I didn't respond to it, but you said you were going to bed, soo we'll talk later today.

Morgan
xxxxx

Anonymous said...

So sorry this is happening.  I hate these security threats.  But I keep telling myself that it is very unlikely for anything to happen exactly where I happen to be at that time.  And I honestly believe that.  So keep on keepin' on, and just go on with your life!

Krissy :)
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

How scary!! I think if I heard an announcement to leave the store I'd just leave the cart and walk out. I'm glad nobody got hurt.
If you come to AZ, we HAVE to meet. You'll be so close to CA!!
Pam

Anonymous said...

Aye, aren't they greedy, Stevie lol

Anonymous said...

Arizona is a little hotter than England but the London Bridge is there so you should feel right at home!
Traci