Aída Nízar catches a pickpocket at the Primark on Gran Vía in Madrid

Aída Nízar detains a suspected pickpocket at the Primark on Gran Vía

If Aída Nízar's account holds up, the private security at the Primark on Gran Vía in Madrid has just starred in a textbook example of what not to do. On Saturday 15 August, the TV personality confronted a woman who, according to her account to COOL, tried to steal from her among the racks of the Irish chain. Instead of waiting for help, she held her, pulled out her phone and started recording while demanding that someone in the store step in.

The sequence of the struggle: a citizen's detention and a call to the police

The woman approached her in English with several garments in hand and, allegedly, took advantage of the confusion to try to take her belongings. Nízar did not hesitate to hold her, demand the presence of security staff and call the National Police. The most striking part is what peine next: the suspected thief was wanted by the authorities. The detail, revealed after the initial uproar, elevates the case from a simple complaint to a police matter.

Private security under fire and two readings of the incident

The store's guards did nothing, according to the victim's account, until the scene became a video and a call to the police. That is where opinions split. Some see a brave reaction to a notable dereliction of duty: if the wanted woman had been inside for a while, something failed in their checks. Others suspect the episode has been played up in the media or that the story contains more noise than proof. The investigation will have to determine whether the detention was proportionate and why the chain failed to spot a wanted person sooner.

Unless the internal cameras show otherwise, Primark will have to explain how a wanted woman could wander among its racks without anyone identifying her. The next time a customer shouts, the guards will know the phone on the other side is recording.