Lawyer Alexander Manko has informed Russian shoppers that private store security guards have no legal right to search personal belongings or use physical force.
Speaking in an interview with news outlet Abzats, Manko stated that carrying out physical searches is strictly the responsibility of law enforcement officers rather than private store employees.
He said security personnel can only politely request to view the contents of a customer bag, leaving the decision to open it entirely up to the shopper.
According to Manko, police officers can perform a search only after writing an official protocol and securing attesting witnesses. He emphasized that a private guard is not a police officer and cannot compel a shopper to open their personal items.
Legal limits on retail security
Under the Russian law on private detective and security activities, guards may detain an individual until police arrive only if there are specific suspicions of theft. That detention must take place without any application of physical force.
Private security organizations in Russia operate under federal legislation established to regulate private protection activities. While security guards are contracted to protect store inventory and maintain order on retail premises, they do not possess statutory police powers and cannot conduct mandatory property inspections on private citizens.
In cases of guard aggression, Manko advised shoppers to remind the security worker of their actual legal powers. He recommended recording the encounter on video, calling the police immediately, and considering a civil lawsuit for moral damages after the incident.
Under Russian civil law, citizens whose personal rights or dignity are violated during unlawful detentions can seek compensation for moral harm in court. Legal experts frequently advise consumers to document store altercations to serve as evidence in subsequent judicial proceedings or regulatory complaints.
Steps to take during store disputes
Manko outlined specific language shoppers should use when confronted by aggressive personnel. He advised citizens to state that the guard works for a private security company, lacks authority to inspect or search property, and only has the right to call law enforcement.
He added that shoppers should inform the guard that if physical force is applied against them, they will contact the police and file a formal statement.
Disputes involving security personnel in Russian retail settings have sometimes coincided with broader security concerns. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a security worker was recently sentenced to 22 years in prison on terrorism charges after attempting to detonate an explosive targeting the head of the multifunctional public services center where he worked.
Multifunctional centers, known in Russia as MFCs, provide government administrative services to the public. Security offenses involving state facilities are prosecuted under national counterterrorism laws, reflecting strict statutory penalties for security staff who violate federal regulations.
