Do you think I’m wrong to feel suspicious?

I have walked off with someone's trolley, not for ten minutes I admit, because I was searching the shelves for a particular item and not looking at the trolley. I have also loaded my purchases into the wrong trolley, again briefly.
I try never to leave my handbag in a trolley.

Scary and unpleasant. I can imagine how panicky you were Chicken. What a horrible experience. I agree it does sound suspicious but you don’t really know. The thing is in future to make sure you don’t place your handbag in the trolley - have a cross body one and wear it over your far shoulder. This is what I was warned to do by an honest local in a poor area of Seville several years ago.

NotSpaghetti

I let myself into another person's car once. No idea why the lock worked.

I sat in it for a good few minutes waiting for the person I'd gone shopping with.
I was getting fed up waiting...
After a while I noticed something on the back seat that I didn't remember putting in the car earlier.
I puzzled over this for another minute and slowly, oh so very slowly the truth dawned... and so like a thief I crept out and closed the door gently and sheepily ... and moved half a dozen cars up the car park and got into my own car. 😬

😂😂😂

Sago

When I go to any supermarket I am amazed at how many people are literally in their own world.

All special awareness is lost, people will merrily block an aisle with their trolley, stand inspecting something for what seems like an age to then put it back again, a classic is bumping into someone you know and stand chatting whilst nobody can pass you or get to the goods behind you.

Honestly it is like they walk in and lose all awareness so this woman getting the wrong trolley is not a surprise.

Yep that’s me always.
My husband said I literally zone out in a SM. Especially in this day & age of prices flying up.
I am busy trying to calculate in my head.
So I think it’s easy done to go off with another persons trolly.
I am sure though I would have noticed it wasn’t my trolly.

I must admit that I’ve wandered off with someone else’s trolley absentmindedly a couple of times and also people have wandered off with mine. I think it’s quite easily done whe distracted.

winterwhite

Horrid thing to happen mistake or not. Nothing you can do about it now, though. Try and put it out of your mind, easier said than done I know.

I am in agreement with Winterwhite.

I would however, avoid that person like the "plague" and buy a bag that can be placedover your head / shoulder and touch your hip .. NEVER NEVER remove your bag and place in a shopping cart or anyplace else except ON YOUR BODY !!

I’ve done some silly things when my mind is too busy thinking of other things. Yes have gaily waltzed off with another persons trolley and pushed another mother’s child in a buggy off from the school gates when picking up my eldest DD, did realise pretty sharpish though and dashed back to pick up my poor younger DD in her buggy who was oblivious to being abandoned. The other mother, whom I knew quite well, just laughed and said ‘please take her, and return for bedtime.’

Just to add I only ever go out anywhere with a cross body bag due to having my bag snatched once in Italy many moons ago. Never again.

I agree with others if her intentions were bad she would have taken you handbag and got out not wandered around the store, she may have memory problems and got confused about was in her basket , some people are just scatty.

You could always ask security to go through cctv to see if she went in your bag.
I think genuine mistake.

What a great response from supermarket staff 👏.

I suspect if someone had really meant to commit theft they would have grabbed your handbag with contents and ditched the trolley (wouldn't want to pay for goods inside!) and scarpered pdq. I would give the woman the benefit of the doubt and not dwell on any suspicion.

I presume everything was still on your bag. I hope you checked

In your bag

It happens ! I did this one Christmas, bought a newspaper then hunted for fresh raspberries on almost empty shelves. Another woman was doing the same and we chatted about our problem, I then continued around the next aisle to get cream and on
putting it into my trolley I saw a handbag hanging on the hook. Horrified, I ran back to the raspberry shelves but she was gone. I went to customer services for help and stood there until the other lady came for help to find her trolley ! We'd both bought the same newspaper and 1 packet of raspberries so thats what must have confused me ! I was more upset than she was !

I would probably be a little suspicious too but she could have. a lot on her mind and have been totally distracted so O would just be happy to get my bag back with purse and keys intact.

I agree with you Lemonjam.

did I miss you saying you had checked the contents of your bac after recovery? if contents o.k. then it seems like a genuine error to me.. a thief would surely have scappered

I could easily do that. I walk around in a dilly day dream whilst shopping. I have taken someone's trolley before and added more stuff. It is only when my husband had walked up and asked where the stuff he put in had gone, I realised what I had done.

Oh just be grateful never mind suspicious, You got your bag back complete with contents, why is it ok for you to have a flustered moment but not the other woman, behave yourself.

I think that you ought to have your locks changed - just to be on the safe side!

It was a mistake, she could have taken your purse, she could have left with your bag, she was zoned out and just like you flustered ,who knows why ,millions of reasons, problems, troubles, stressed, you made an excuse for leaving your bag on the trolley,she likely has a valid reason for pushing your trolley round ,and for 10 minutes, poor woman

Aveline

Very helpful staff. Very odd thing for an innocent thing for a person to do but could just be a fluke?

I understand why the OP felt suspiscious, but honestly most of us could take the wrong trolley by mistake if we were terribly worried, grieving or just wrestling with one of the more arcane problems presented by our work, especially if we work in the social sector or in any kind of research.

I have on more than one occasion "parked" my trolley, fetched something from a nearby shelf, dumped in in someone else's trolley and started off down the ailse with it, before realising that it was the wrong trolley.

So, chicken, I understand why you felt uncomfortable, but if nothing is missing from your handbag, I honestly do not think you need to harbour suspicions.

Between stories of wallets being taken from purses in shopping trolleys and distraction scams, I have started to have a cross body bag instead of one that I place in the trolley seat. I also have attached my wallet by a chain inside my purse, one so that isn’t stolen but most importantly so I don’t set it down at check out and walk away without it.

Thanks for all your comments. Everything seems to be untouched in my bag……which I normally wear crossbody and zipped up.

The suspicion was increased because the abandoned trolley was parked around the corner facing forward while my trolley was taken backwards away from my sight line and must have then been pushed in the opposite direction as it certainly didn’t go past me. I expect I’ve been watching too many police procedural!

meddijess

I think that you ought to have your locks changed - just to be on the safe side!

Do you really think the lady could have had keys cut in 10 minutes and still be at the store shopping? Don't frighten OP more than she already is.

Hiya, I taking meds that gives me brain fog and I could quite easily take someone else's trolley! If she intended to steal, she didn't get away with it. Please don't be too hard on yourself, you had a lot going on. Think of the positives, & as a lesson learned. Maybe a cross-over body bag & only taking one card out shopping. (I do believe I can put controls on my revolut card, and even stop it.) That aside look at the kindness the staff in the shop showed you. There is a lot of goodness in the world. ( But if you find this occupying you mind, please speak to someone, a friend or maybe you GP.)