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Sneaky secret Bunnings uses to foil shoplifters

Although Bunnings sell security cameras to customers, their own security measures used to be far more hands-on, according to one former staff member.In a recent TikTok video captioned "Bunnings secrets revealed by a former employee", a man who goes by the handle @relayscreations said when he worked at one of their stores in Queensland, they had a trick for warding off shoplifters.<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@relayscreations/video/7056403180845944065" data-video-id="7056403180845944065"><section><a title="@relayscreations" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@relayscreations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@relayscreations</a> <a title="stitch" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/stitch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#stitch</a> with @princessannafit Bunnings Secrets revealed by a former employee <a title="bunnings" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bunnings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#bunnings</a> <a title="australia" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#australia</a> <a title="security" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#security</a> <a title="companysecrets" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/companysecrets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#companysecrets</a> <a title="aussie" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/aussie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#aussie</a> <a title="♬ original sound" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7056403182695631617" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound</a></section></blockquote>"So I used to work at Bunnings. That is a chain of hardware stores if you're not Australian," he said. "When you're in Bunnings, you'll sometimes hear an announcement over the loudspeaker say something along the lines of 'security to section C, security to section C,' and the secret was that there was no section C.""There was also, most of the time, no security. It was only meant to be a deterrent for shoplifters," he claimed. "So originally when we started doing it, we did it manually."Someone in the store would actually pick up the intercom and speak it but then they pre-recorded it and added it to the soundtrack of music that would play over the store speakers all day so we actually had the same announcements every day during the same songs and you predict them after you heard them for a while."In a separate video, he said he stopped working at Bunnings in 2006, "so some of this information might be out of date."This revelation was fascinating to Aussies on TikTok, though some noted they shopped at Bunnings all the time and had never heard those loudspeaker announcements.Others claimed "all stores" including Woolies and Big W used this same trick."I work at Big W and we manually say it," one TikTok user commented. "Sometimes it's every couple hours or when there's people acting sketchy. It worked often."A person claiming to have worked at Coles said, "We did this manually at Coles when we knew a five-finger discounter was in. We also got workers to follow them but make it look like we are working."One person said they worked at Bunnings and "used to say it over the PA system back in 2003.""Yep, did it at my old job 12 years ago. Nice to see it's still freaking people out," commented another person.

Travel Trouble

Woman speaks out after brother dies in Amazon warehouse

US-based retail giant Amazon is facing questions and criticism over its health and safety policies after six workers died when an Illinois warehouse was destroyed by a tornado on Friday. The tornado was one of at least 30 that left areas across several states in devastation, and caused the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, to collapse. One person was injured and 45 others were rescued safely. Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said walls on both sides of the building collapsed inwards, while the roof collapsed downward. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down in Edwardsville at approximately 8.35pm. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846342/amazon1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b402df1e66454952971e7c37c5d36492" /> First responders surrounded the Edwardsville warehouse, where around 100 people were trapped. Image: Getty Images Amazon has said its team had “worked quickly” in response to the tornado, and that site leaders told employees on duty to take shelter at around 8.16pm local time. When contacted by the BBC, Amazon said in a statement that the site received tornado warnings between 8.06pm and 8.16pm local time, before the tornado struck at 8.27pm. However, Rachel Cope, the sister of one of the victims, told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59641784" target="_blank">BBC</a> she understood from a conversation between her brother and parents that workers weren’t immediately told to shelter following the first warning siren. Her brother, 29-year-old Clayton Cope, spoke to his family on the phone shortly before the building was struck, with his mother Carla saying she called to warn him of the approaching tornado. “We told him it looked like the storm was heading that way and that he needed to get to shelter,” Carla told NBC-affiliated television station KSDK. Clayton, formerly trained in the Navy, told his mother that he would warn his coworkers before taking shelter. Rachel has since taken to social media calling for publicity around the company’s approach to health and safety. “Everyone knows that this warehouse didn’t let everyone get to shelter after he [sic] first siren was heard,” she <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/12/13/torn-d13.html" target="_blank">wrote</a> in a Facebook post. “Everyone knows that all Amazon cares about is productivity. My brother never would have died if this company actually gave 2 shits about their employees and got them to safety after the storm started to get bad and took it seriously… “I want them to answer for this, I want this to be a starting point of places taking the lives of their employees seriously and treating them as more than a number. This never would have happened if they cared about lives over productivity and you all know that.” Another victim, father-of-four Larry Virden, reportedly texted his long-term girlfriend telling her the company wouldn’t let workers leave. Cherie Jones, his partner of 13 years, told The Post he had texted her at 8.23pm local time, with her messages sent at 8.51pm going unanswered. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Horrifying details are emerging about the tornado disaster at Amazon's warehouse in Illinois, where at least 6 workers were killed on the job. Before he died, Larry Virden reportedly texted his girlfriend: "Amazon won’t let us leave." He leaves behind four children. <a href="https://t.co/3ZRLik9VIs">pic.twitter.com/3ZRLik9VIs</a> — More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorePerfectUS/status/1470513075489054720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2021</a></blockquote> “I got text messages from him. He always tells me when he is filling up the Amazon truck when he is getting ready to go back,” she <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dad-of-fours-last-text-16-minutes-before-death-in-amazon-warehouse-104740521.html">said</a>. “I was like ‘OK, I love you’. He’s like, ‘well Amazon won’t let me leave until after the storm blows over’.” “We heard the tornado didn’t touch down until 8.39 so he had 20 minutes to get home. “I messaged him and that was the last text message I got from him. “I told him where we live, it was only lightning at the time. After that, I got nothing from him.” The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced it will <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/13/osha-opens-probe-into-deadly-amazon-warehouse-collapse-in-illinois.html">investigate the collapse</a>. Founder Jeff Bezos has also been the target of criticism after posting pictures of himself and his Blue Origin space crew following the incident. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWLFkxr5td/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWLFkxr5td/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos)</a> </div> </blockquote> He later issued a statement expressing his condolences to the families of the victims. “The news from Edwardsville is tragic. We’re heartbroken over the loss of our teammates there, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones,” he wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> (2/2) All of Edwardsville should know that the Amazon team is committed to supporting them and will be by their side through this crisis. We extend our fullest gratitude to all the incredible first responders who have worked so tirelessly at the site. — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1469849247042334721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote> Amazon has said it will donate $USD 1 million ($AUD 1.41 million or $NZD 1.48 million) to the Edwardsville Community Foundation, which represents 0.0000009 percent of the company’s earnings in <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/28/amazon-stock-falls-on-revenue-miss-rising-costs-due-to-macroeconomic-conditions/">Q3 2021</a>. The company has also said it will provide relief supplies such as transport, food and water. Images: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

Jimmy Barnes lists ENORMOUS warehouse home

Rockstar Jimmy Barnes and Jane Barnes are selling their Botany warehouse residence at auction on August 28. The decision comes as the family has been spending almost all of their time at their longtime home in the Southern Highlands. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom property has been listed through Firmstone Pappas Properties and MyPlace, and is expected to sell for over $4 million. The family bought the property for a hefty $1.6 million in 2004, which had received a $400,000 makeover from the previous owner, including the installation of a full recording studio. Since first purchasing the warehouse, the former Cold Chisel frontman has had renovation works undertaken, including the addition of a second soundproof studio. The home also features an overscale kitchen, a cinema lounge, a private front courtyard with undercover spaces for three vehicles, and a separate first-floor residence with its own kitchen, dining area, and lounge room. The home is walking distance from Botany shops, public transport, cafes and schools, as well as a park and aquatic centre. Images: Jimmy Barnes / Instagram, Firmstone Pappas Properties

Real Estate

Fake Bunnings! Overseas hardware clone baffles fans

New photographs of an eerily similar Bunnings store have cropped up that have everyone talking on social media. Builders Warehouse, not to be confused with Bunnings Warehouse, has opened in the Philippines. The two chains share the same classic colour scheme, hammer logo, and even the uniform are lookalikes. The only difference? Instead of the famous ‘Lowest prices are just the beginning’ slogan, Builders Warehouse has gone with ‘You build. We provide.’ <img style="width: 500px; height: 375.3846153846154px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840811/builders-warehouse-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7c512fe3dd24449c904ac9e06a436c56" /> <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840810/bunnings-warehouse-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f089538f97f473e935ca4b591e3842f" /> It is understood that Bunnings Warehouse isn’t affiliated with Builders Warehouse. Bunnings fans on Twitter were surprised by the similarities. ‘Sincerest Form of Flattery? Meet #Bunnings Warehouse Clone - Our Builders Warehouse,’ said one. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840814/builders-warehouse-3.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/06cb1c5113f2449fb62b7c84ab057eef" /> According to <a rel="noopener" href="http://ourbuilderswarehouse.com.ph/home" target="_blank">its website</a>, Builders Warehouse started in 2018 and now has five stores across the Philippines, including Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Malolos, and Bulacan. It describes itself as the go-to for home improvement in the Philippines. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840812/builders-warehouse-4.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0920009faac34e808f2199655e9b1da6" /> The similarities don’t stop there either, with similar mission statements. According to the Builders Warehouse website, ‘Builders Warehouse is anchored in delivering first-class construction materials to everyone who needs a hand in home building from the groundwork, furnishing up to the final modifications of any structural development’. On the Bunnings website, it reads, ‘Our ambition is to provide our customers with the widest range of home improvement products in accordance with our lowest prices policy, backed with the best service.’ However, Bunnings did not wish to comment on the new Filipino stores.

Legal

Obsessed much? Celine Dion stores 10,000 pairs of shoes in Las Vegas warehouse

Most people usually have a few pairs of shoes. Some for going out and some for everyday wear. But if you’re Celine Dion then you’re most likely going to need an entire warehouse to store all of your footwear. The singer, who has a residency at Las Vegas’ Caesar’s Palace, let James Corden in on her obsession with shoes during a Carpool Karaoke segment last week. When originally asked the question, Celine admitted to owning 3000-5000 pairs of shoes, but after a bit more heckling, she finally gave away the correct number. Corden went on to say that he had heard a rumour of the performer owning up to 10,000 pairs of shoes, to which Celine said was possible. “Maybe. I didn’t want to say it,” she admitted. But the question on everyone’s minds was: Where does someone with that many pairs of shoes possibly keep them? “I have a place in Las Vegas … let’s call it a warehouse,” revealed the 51-year-old. And while having a separate property just for shoes seems extravagant, Dion went on to explain that her former home in Florida had an entirely computerised system to help categorise her shoes. “I had a system, it was computerised, and I would press, and the door would open,” she revealed. “I would press another button and they would turn.” She said that the shoes were colour coordinated to make it easier for her to pick and choose between them. The chosen pair of shoes would then be presented on a thick glass counter, filled with crushed diamonds – but while it seems over-the-top, it isn’t as lavish as you may think. “Not real diamonds, just to make sure that you don’t think that I’m loco,” Dion said. In 2017, the My Heart Will Go On singer spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://wwd.com/" target="_blank">WWD</a> about her hoarding habits, saying she finds it difficult to throw things away as they hold sentimental value. “They’re part of every step that I take, and I have an attachment to it,” she told the publication. But during the hilarious Carpool Karaoke segment, Dion didn’t seem to have a choice as she was forced to part ways with her favourite pairs of shoes by giving them away to strangers along the Las Vegas strip. Despite being reluctant, Dion managed to give a few pairs away to lucky walkers-by. But while it seemed to be in good fun, it doesn’t look like the performer will be downsizing her collection anytime soon.

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