Aldi say '˜sorry' after mistaking a Blackpool grandad of shoplifting

Edward Calvey, 62, was grabbed by a member of staff at Aldi on Waterloo Road after he was mistaken for a shoplifter.

The grandad-of-five said: “I was just minding my own business when he ran out and grabbed me and tried to snatch my bags.

“I got the fright of my life.”

Edward says he entered the shop on Sunday morning after doing some light shopping in the nearby B&M Bargains, but left without making a purchase when he realised what he wanted wasn’t in stock.

He was then approached by the member of staff, who he says tried to arrest him.

Edward, who lives on Vicarage Lane, said: “I asked him who he was and asked him what right did he have to search my things.

“He was very angry and saying he was making a citizens arrest.

“Then the assistant manager rushed out and said ‘what’s happening?’

“He calmed everything down. He realised right away that I had done nothing wrong.”

Edward, who works as a cleaner at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, said the incident left him feeling shaken and unwell, as he has suffered from ill health since having an appendix operation in October that left him seriously ill following complications.

He said: “It was the first time I was out on my own since the operation.

“I was amazed. I didn’t know what was going on.

“I was quite upset by the whole thing.”

He added that staff offered him a £30 voucher to spend in-store as an apology - but he maintained that he would be avoiding the shop in the future.

He said: “I think I’ll go to Asda from now on.”

An Aldi spokesman said: “We have apologised to Mr Calvey for his experience in our Blackpool store.

“Our store management team have spoken to the relevant employee to remind them of appropriate behaviour within our stores.”