Man tells police gin and tonic he purchased is non-alcoholic. But police refuses, he offers a solution: ‘I’m really angry, so I’ll get arrested’

A man from Hertfordshire, England, contacted emergency services after discovering that the gin and tonic he bought from Tesco for an afternoon in the park was alcohol-free, prompting police to issue a public reminder about the misuse of emergency lines.

According to People, the unidentified shopper resorted to calling Britain’s 999 emergency number to complain about a local Tesco after his attempt to return the items failed.

The caller explained to the emergency operator that he had purchased a pack of miniature Gordon’s gin and tonic. He was eager to relax in the shade on a warm day, so he headed to a nearby park. It was only after opening and drinking one of the beverages that he noticed the “zero alcohol” label on the packaging.

This was not a police matter

Frustrated by the mix-up, the man blamed the store’s merchandising layout, saying the nonalcoholic drinks had been placed directly in the standard alcohol aisle. Because the branding and packaging closely resembled the traditional alcoholic version, he argued that it was an easy mistake to make.

Before calling the police, the man reportedly tried to get Tesco to see his perspective and work out a solution. That attempt was unsuccessful because he had already consumed one of the drinks. The shopper then offered to pay for the single opened can while swapping out the rest, but the store held its ground.

The entire purchase totaled £6, or approximately $8. Outraged by the loss of his money and what he considered a ruined afternoon, the man walked outside the store and apparently decided that this was exactly the type of issue British police should be dealing with — instead of actual crimes and tragedies.

The emergency operator, however, had a different opinion.

“At the moment, this is not a police matter,” the call handler told him.

That only appeared to escalate the man’s anger. He threatened, “I’m really angry, so I’ll get arrested… because I’m not having it.” He also said he might walk back into the supermarket and steal an alcoholic beverage to make up for his financial loss.

The call handler firmly advised him against stealing anything and instead told him to escalate the dispute through Tesco’s corporate management.

Hertfordshire Police later chose to release the audio recording on Aug. 24. While the department acknowledged that the public might find the situation humorous, officials emphasized the serious strain that inappropriate calls can place on emergency services.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police explained that dialing 999 over a retail dispute ties up critical dispatchers who could be handling genuine emergencies. The authorities reiterated that consumer complaints involving incorrect labeling, refunds or strict return policies are matters that should generally be handled between the shopper and the retailer.

The shopper’s identity was ultimately not released, and police chose to use the bizarre incident as an example of what not to do rather than pursue charges against him.

The police were compassionate

The choice was a compassionate one — and it also asks for the same compassion from the public toward people doing perhaps one of the toughest jobs in the world. After all, there is a big difference between being angry about a £6 purchase and having an emergency that requires the immediate attention of the police.

Hopefully, this will work.