QLD Laws relating to bag searches

Australia's #1 for Law
Join 150,000 Australians every month. Ask a question, respond to a question and better understand the law today!
FREE - Join Now

Pom04

Member
29 October 2020
1
0
1
I wanted to ask a question in relation to bag searches, having researched on line I understand that bag searches cannot be conducted on bags under the size of A4 unless a store has reasonable belief that it has stolen good inside . Last weekend my family including two 14 year old daughters were shopping and as it was my birthday my daughters went into a store to purchase me a present while my husband and I waited outside . I had been asked for a bag check on my carrier bag when I was in the store earlier , no issue . My husband and I while Waiting then Observed a number of people leave the store with trollies with shopping inside and we’re not stopped for a search . When my daughters came to leave the store the shop assistant stopped them and asked them to remove the small bags on their backs smaller than an a4 size . The shop assistant then asked them to show the contents and asked if they could produce receipts for make up they already owned in their bags . I then went over and intervened and we left the store . I subsequently complained in writing to the company the same day . The next day the store manager rang and offered me a $50 voucher as compensation and basically said the staff member had acted incorrectly . The experience has left me wondering did they have a legal right to do what they did
 

sammy01

Well-Known Member
27 September 2015
5,154
721
2,894
I'm thinking they can request a bag search. But you can refuse. So the $50 voucher is a good PR stunt.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pom04