Your Dolls and Security Officers-ever a problem?

our mall here is pretty ok. we have the suncaost anime events there though so they are some what used to the crazies. and we bring our dollies to the suncaost anime events too.

 

Wow, you guys are really over reacting here.

Let me point out a few things.

I was a Loss Prevention agent for Target for four years, I didn't wear a dorky uniform, I was in plain clothing and caught shoplifters.

The security guards bother you at the mall when you dress in 'dark, baggy clothing' because a majority of kids who dress like that steal, so they're trying to intimidate you to keep you from stealing in the first place, they're trying to stop the problem before it happens. Like stopping a drunk man when he walks out of a bar. He may or may not get into his car and drive off, but he might, and you want to assure him that you're there and watching, so he'll make the wiser choice and not get into that car.

Secondly, if you take your doll into a toy store and honestly think that the cashiers are going to think that you stole it, then you need to rethink that assumption. Trust me, cashiers know what their stores sell, for the most part, especially in little mall toystores. And if they're stupid enough to think you stole him, security won't be stupid enough to believe them if there's nothing even REMOTELY close to the doll in the store. They don't just assume you stole the clothing that you're wearing, just becuse you're in a clothing store.

And Chopsticks, I'm sure the cop (if he was a real police officer, and not a security officer) wasn't stalking you. They have better things to do than follow some teenager around. Trust me. But if he was a security officer, I'm sure he didn't just pick you out of a crowd and follow you for giggles. The only time a security would follow you (legitimately) is if someone pointed you out and told the officer that they SAW you steal something, then he'd take a closer look at you. Otherwise, he doesn't care. Adults steal more than teenagers. Trust me.

And it's not smart to stop and start screaming at cops for walking behind you. They don't like it, then you're disturbing the peace and you WILL be thrown out of the mall. Word to the wise, if you think someone is following you, you can stop and, you know, ask them. You are in a public place and they are in uniform, you're not Larry King, they won't beat you. If anything, they'll either be embarassed (if they were following you) or they'll look at you like you're insane, because you're just paranoid.

And no, you can't sue for an officer breaking your doll. You could take him to small claims court, totally different.

Plus, you have to remember that there are cameras EVERYWHERE and they are catching your every move-- and that means they're catching the every move of the officer, too. It's not worth his job to harass you. Because he will get fired for it.

You shouldn't have any problem taking your doll somewhere public. Everyone knows you didn't steal it. If anything, you should be more worried about people stopping you and asking you where you bought it, because they want one. And they'll take pictures-- and some people (people your own age) are going to point and laugh at you. The most trouble you're going to get at the mall is from other teenagers who don't have lives and so are hanging at the mall making fun of other people, because those other people are hanging at the mall and have no lives. Yeah, that makes them cool, right? You should be looking out for them, not security guards.

 

OMG, I'd never even thought of that. Yeah, I could see guns being drawn at JFK if someone tried to board a plane with a doll that had a bunch of wires in it.

It's one thing to give you the up-and-down, but I've seen security guards tell kids to take a hike for no reason whatsoever. They're picking on them just because of the way they dress, which is silly. By your own admission adults steal more than kids, so why not just let the kids be?

Not in my experience. I've been to many a store where the minimum-wage help has no idea what I'm asking for, much less if the store carries it or not. Still, I think I would ask for a "PAID" sticker for my doll if I thought for a second there would be problems on my way out the door.

Agreed, screaming at cops rarely ends the way you want it to, just ask Zsa Zsa Gabor. Better to just turn around and ask why they're following you. And Larry King? Did you mean Rodney?

 

I have to agree about the overreacting.
You're walking around in public with a 2-foot-tall doll- people are going to look at you a little funny, no matter how "normal" you're acting (or think you're acting.) Of course you're not doing anything wrong, but society is not going to conform to your expectations simply because you behave well. Security guards are paid to look for suspicious activity; by the definition of the majority of society, an adult or near-adult carrying around what appears to be a large toy is somewhat suspicious, even if it's far from criminal.
You may not deserve the scrutiny of security, but it is to be expected, and hopefully taken with a grain of salt.

 

Security can be odd. I wouldn't say that they are following teenagers on suspicion of stealing-in my experience- but simply to keep a bit of order around. Teenagers can get themselves to a space, and therefore their parents are likely around to keep an eye on them, so security does.

 

I am also sure that he wasn't stalking me; by "stalk" I mean "follow" Sorry for the confusion. The meaning of stalk is kind of skewed here.
I really don't have an issue with the mall security watching over teenagers, because usually kids go to the mall in large, loud groups. So I understand they're watched just to keep them in line/from getting too obnoxious. I just found it strange that I was nearly followed out of the mall when I was alone O.o; Especially because I'm not a conspicuous looking person.
But maybe I was just confused and he was going the same way I was...right behind me

Heh I was thinking that, but I wouldn't want to traumatize our poor mall Santa! Or hold up the never-ending line of kids XD All the moms would be like "wtf?!"

 

I always take my dolls to shows...and the security mostly take it in stride, some of them come up and ask me about them...but they don't kick me out or anything.

 

I've never, ever had a problem taking my doll anywhere with me.

In fact, I've taken her on many flights with me, with no problems. I just plunk her down in the scanner box and tell the people she has metal hooks in her hands, feet, and head, and there's never been any problem. There was a cute little funny scene the first time I flew with her, though, when I asked if I had to take her shoes off, too, but the security people got a kick out of that.

The most I've ever gotten taking Cora out in public is people stopping to ask me about her, and I don't mind that at all. I've gotten to the point where I have a little speech prepared, though, lol

"She's an Asian Ball-Jointed doll from a company in Korea called Dream of Doll. Most dolls like this are made of Urethane Resin and strung together with elastic, with multiple points of articulation, and are fully customizable, from the painting on their faces to what color eyes you want to put in them."

 

I never had problems but I do have a little funny story: When I was still taking Culinary Arts I had to wear a chef uniform. I took a doll to class one day when I just had lecture because I wanted to go to the local park and take pics. When I got there, there was a guard there and after taking some pics he came up to me and asked what I was doing. His second question was: "Are you going to cook her?" And I started laughing and said no, just taking some pics. What a sight he probably thought- a girl in a full chef uniform taking pics of a weird doll, lol!

 

OMFG LOL! YOU JUST MADE MY DAY. That was created by me, cause it was stiff in there xD (I was the co-runner)


ANNNNYYYWAY, I always take my BJD(s) with me (well, almost always) And normlay they don't have problems. I know workers get interested and ask, but never "are you stealing" Also, places lke wallmart REALLLY are bad with cameras, my sister and i went, and were taking a few with the BJDs, NOT in anyone's way at all, and one lady asked us *semi-cruely* not to do so. So we were like "okies" and then we had it out ONCE more (>_____< seriously just once) and this one guy who worked there came and CHEWED US OUT, and said "I know you've been told SEVERAL times" -__________-

 

I agree with this comment,
I used to work at an upscale mall. By upscale you actually couldnt have a store there, we only had stuff like Louis Vuitton, Juicy Cotuore... however you spell that crap, etc. It wasnt like a normal mall with JC Penny or anything. It had marble floors for goodness sake. And there was no dress code at all. There is a guy in phoenix who is famous for dressing like a baby and keeping a full time nanny to change his diapers, he literally wore diapers and a shirt and he often came in. There were punk, goth, whatever you can imagine, Ive seen it, from my years working there at the mall.


I cant even imagine another mall as classy as my old one, and I cant believe they would have a dress code! Maybe they were messing with the young kids! Either way THAT STINKS!

 

As long as you aren't trying to SELL the dolls, security should leave you alone. Though they might approach you and ask.

 

Hahaha!
Wasn't there a meeting on Sunday too? That's the one I went to~
Next year I'm going to keep an open ear for dollfie meets, Emma enjoyed herself last time, and she'd love to come back, a full year older!

 

I've taken my doll to the mall to show a former coworker, and I've helped escort a doll around an art museum. I don't even remember noticing mall security, but the museum security did talk to us several times. Mostly they wanted to know more about the doll! One guy was a little worried about how close we were getting to displays, but then he saw we were trying to get pictures and helped suggest a better spot for the doll.

 

I've never had any issues with mall security and I often just roam the mall aimlessly lookin' at stuff. Honestly if I was walking into walmart I'd just ask the greeter person to give me a sticker and put it on my doll. Besides, like many people said-they probably have a very intimate knowledge of what they sell ha ha. I mean really, imagine them saying "price check on a 2 foot customizable doll!" every other employee would be like "wtf are you even talking about?!" that's like me going "hey, guys can I get one whopper?"(I work at McDonalds fyi) they would all look at me like "idiot...we don't sell whoppers here!"

 

The security here have problems with my doll bag only. because a 70cm bag jus looks too suspicious to them, but when i open to reveal my 42cm boy, they shoo-ed me away and from that day on, they remembered me and couldnt be bother to stop me 8D lol. WAS a potential terrorist to them i suppose ><;;;

 

Yeah, that was the official one. I can't wait for next year since I have two girls now. And hurray for the con purchased dolls!!

 

Indeed! I can't wait

I'm going to my first not-con meet the day of my birthday party, so I get to scramble about afterwords, but I don't want to miss a chance to learn how to re-string my poor girl. She's like OMIGODSNAPPOSITIONNOW?

 

You were alone? :O

...

Maybe he thought you were cute? ^^