“There's more to this story” – Surrey Quays bike theft victim says security staff are “complacent”

youre kind of right and kind of wrong. you can refuse if it was on private property - for instance, if it was your own home. You could refuse to show or make copies of CCTV footage for the police but they can come back with a warrant and get it if they have reason to believe that you have something that may aid them in their investigation.

The thing with supermarkets, its a public place and most big supermarkets have a CCTV podium on the shopfloor (normally by the entrance as you walk in) and they would have a CCTV control room for security staff  and store management behind closed doors.

Data protection act means that you cant show or let anyone see whats on the screen while youre in public -- So thats when youre at the podium. When a police officer came in asking to see footage of an incident. We took them the CCTV Control room where all the DVR's are and none of the public or regular staff are allowed in.

Supermarket car parks are still public places even though they are private property.

Except you are 100% wrong. If a business is capturing members of the public then they come under the DPA and are required to supply footage to the police.  Private land is a red herring and is trumped if members of the public are captured. just as it is if you set up a house camera but capture people on the pavement outside your boundary. 
 

What the law says about your CCTV footage

If the CCTV is capturing footage of members of the public in public areas, the police are able to get access to this and don’t need permission in the same way as they do with private footage.

When it comes to your personal CCTV footage, police can get access to it but it must be in accordance with Section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984). This states that they can have it if they believe “it is evidence in relation to an offence which he is investigating or any other offence”.

RoubaixCube wrote:

...You leave your bike there at your own risk...

This is often said but, just because the sign says so, doesn't necessarily make it so.  If Tesco or the centre management are aware that there is a bike theft or ASB problem, force somebody to park there, and then do nothing about it, it is reasonable to consider whether they have been negligent by withholding their knowledge of the risk from the visitor.

The line of least resistance is obviously to have your bike adequately insured and lock it with the best security you can afford in the most secure location with the highest footfall possible.  And make yourself look like the meanest b'stard going.

Alternatively, find out who operates the local security company (the type whose sales patter consists of one visit and, "it would be a terrible shame...") and ingratiate yourself with them with as little obligation as possible. That type of security is often known to work in the underworld - low-level scum only ever make that mistake once.  This is a risky strategy, however.  One day you're riding a bike, safe as houses; the next you're couriering for a county lines gang, wondering how you can recharge your ebike in time to make the rendezvous.

We've all been there, haven't we?

https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2019/Bicycle-Bank-Robber-Tom-Justice/

My story. For bank robber, read international assassin. For French Foreign Legion, read Scouts.  Same drill sergeant, though.  We called him Skip.