Les, 53, is head of security at a large London bookshop. On the way home, he often passes through Soho, which is a short walk from his workplace. He likes to stop in a place called 'Bookshop'. They have a downstairs section, which stocks sexual paraphernalia of all kinds.
Les likes 'dirty' magazines, buying three or four every month. Lately however, Les has had his eye on a small leather whip. He wonders what it would be like.
"I wonder what it would be like," he says to himself.
Tonight Les won't be buying the whip, since there's been an incident at his store.
I ask about the incident.
Les: "Yes. She's been.Twice, maybe three times."
Jon, 39. Store manager - up and coming talent, who looks set for great things in the world of retail: "Less a thorn in my side than a tiny pebble in my shoe."
Charles, 25. Part-time sales assistant, and economics graduate student: "I remember taking her payment once. Nice eyes. Not suspicious at all. No - a regular customer."
I have reprinted below the report Les made to the police.
"At around 14h50, a young woman of asian extraction entered the premises. She was being monitored on the CCTV system. She proceeded, via the staircase, to the third floor. On arriving in the philosophy section, she made for the 'B' shelves [a section popular, for some reason, with ruffians and guttersnipes]. She looked through one item [possibly a book by Baudrillard, but we can't know for sure]. She appeared confused and nervous, agitated even. She replaced the volume quickly. Following this episode, the customer moved to 'S', finding solace in the dustcovers of Sartre and Schopenhauer.
It is not unusual to follow a potential thief, using these cameras, for up to half an hour. As I was about to resume my other duties, I noticed said customer proceed to the foreign language philosophy shelves. Before my very eyes, she swiftly placed three books in her bag. I called Jon (the store manager), who made sure she was apprehended before leaving."
