YOUR PRIVACY COULD BE JEOPARDIZED IF YOU PARK AT THE HARRIS TEETER
MAGOTHY GATEWAY 143 RITCHIE HWY, SEVERNA PARK, MD 21146
Imagine my shock when I had to abandon my shopping at this Harris Teeter in an attempt to find my boyfriend who was supposed to meet me inside the store only to find when I went outside to my vehicle to see if he was there and search the parking lot when a Harris Teeter co-manager, Rennie followed me outside, positioned herself behind my vehicle and photographed my license plate!
My boyfriend and I are busy medical professionals and were trying to save time by him picking up a prescription at CVS and a few gift items at Tuesday Morning while I did the shopping at Harris Teeter. His phone's battery was dead so he used mine to access the things we needed to get from both stores. After shopping at Harris Teeter I was ready to check out but my boyfriend had not returned from his errands. He also had the credit card we use for groceries and the H.T. VIC card. I searched the store for him but he was not there and I could not call him (remember, he has my phone). Desperate to find him, I leave my cart in the store (hoping to return to it when I find him) and go to the front desk to have him paged. The page is made but an employee comes to the front desk and said that the page could not be understood and to repeat the page. I wait there but the page was never repeated. Becoming more worried, I explain that I need to leave my cart in an aisle and go outside to try to find my boyfriend. I go outside, scan the parking lot and go my vehicle hoping that my boyfriend will be there or en route. Nope. No sign of him, but while looking for him I see the co-manager, Rennie sneaking in between cars in the row behind me AND THEN I SEE HER USE HER PHONE TO TAKE A PHOTO OF MY VEHICLE! I realize that she is taking a photo of my rear LICENSE PLATE with her personal cell phone! I drive up the front of the store where she stood after taking the photo, park my truck and confront her. Rennie explains that it is the "common practice for Harris Teeter employees to go out into the parking lot and photograph the activities". Confused, I asked her why it looked like she targeted my vehicle in particular? She repeated that it is a common practice of Harris Teeter to take pictures of the parking lot. I asked to see the picture that she took and she refused. After speaking into her personal intercom, another Manager, Lauren came outside and repeated that it is a common protocol to photograph the parking lot which could include vehicle's license plates. Confused, frustrated and unsatisfied with their joint explanation about how this is a 'common practice of this store,' I returned to my vehicle and continued to look for my boyfriend. My boyfriend had actually met an old college friend outside of Pascal's Chophouse and was delayed because the friend bought him a beer and he could not take it off the premises. Disgusted by the Managers (Rennie, Lauren, and Kim) and front desk staff at Harris Teeter, my boyfriend and I decided not to return to the store for the groceries.
After speaking to a retired police officer, he said that these actions are not exactly illegal, BUT IT DOES RAISE SOME ISSUES ABOUT PRIVACY SINCE PERMISSION FOR THESE PHOTOS WAS NEVER OBTAINED and there is no sign posted stating that periodic surveillance photos by employees of vehicles in the parking lot would be taken. The police officer warned us of the rise of INSURANCE SCAMS where photos are taken of your vehicle in an attempt to make a claim for a vehicular crime in the future. The police officer also said that your PRIVATE INFORMATION such as your home address can be obtained from your license plate. This is concerning since you had to provide your DRIVER'S LICENSE*** at the time you apply for their VIC card. Also what if my children were there and were photographed and these photos were used for questionable exploitation? ALL employees in person and on the phone refused to answer any of my questions about how or why these photos are a 'common practice of the store' which is even more suspicious!
BE WARNED! I personally, along with friends and relatives will NOT be shopping at Harris Teeter again since there are better customer centered grocery stores in the vicinity with better prices and service. This is a shame because me, friends and family attended the Grand Opening in May 2017 and have been shopping there ever since.
***Directly from the website: "A VIC card is Harris Teeter's savings card. If you don't have one sign up here. Please note you will need to show your driver's license to complete the process." read more