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Caught shoplifting with security detagger

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  • Caught shoplifting with security detagger

    I got caught shoplifting in Debenhams last month. I was taken to the back room where I was questioned, searched and had a photo taken of me, and they have banned me for life from all Debenham stores. No police were involved, and they recovered the items from me (the outside cardboard was a little damaged where I had peeled off the sticky security tags.)

    I'm inclined to ignore the letter as most people on here have advised, it looks exactly like the bog-standard 1st letter you would receive, plus an FAQ letter. However... they did find a security de-tagger on me and they took it. Yes, it's very disgraceful and I'm extremely ashamed but the incident has scared me enough so that I haven't shoplifted ever since, and never plan to do so again. Can they use this as evidence against me to pursue me in court? I'm very stressed out at the moment because university exams start next week and I can't really afford the fee. Thanks in advance.
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  • #2
    Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

    Hi there, Welcome.

    No need to worry.
    I wonder what right Debenhams thought they had to remove and retain the detagger.
    Did they obtain your permission,before searching you, or was it "please empty your bags"?

    Anyway, nothing is going to happen to you now except you will receive the series of begging letters, and you know what to do with them!

    Get on with your exams (good luck) and the rest of your life.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

      Originally posted by des8 View Post
      Hi there, Welcome.

      No need to worry.
      I wonder what right Debenhams thought they had to remove and retain the detagger.
      Did they obtain your permission,before searching you, or was it "please empty your bags"?

      Anyway, nothing is going to happen to you now except you will receive the series of begging letters, and you know what to do with them!

      Get on with your exams (good luck) and the rest of your life.
      Hi des, thanks for your reply
      They asked me to empty my bags and show them everything, and they also accused me of being in the store earlier on in the day which wasn't true. I was quite confused about that and was wondering if they were trying to squeeze something out of me.

      I also move out of my current house at the end of June. Do I need to notify them of me changing my address? In case I do receive a letter from the court. I also don't really like the possibility of next year's tenants seeing and opening RLP's letters addressed to me.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

        I personally would try to avoid notifying RLP of a change of address, as any contact with them only encourages them to up the pressure.

        After your exams will you be moving away from the area or will you be able to pop round to collect any mail?
        Royal Mail do a redirection service, but it is a bit pricey https://www.royalmail.com/personal/r...il/redirection

        I suppose it would be better to notify them of a change of address than do nothing.
        The problem is, not that a future tenant will open your mail, but they will return it to sender as "moved away".
        That would be a signal for RLP to initiate a court action of which you would be unaware, and so could not defend.
        As such they would obtain a County Court Judgement against you by default (which is the only way they could win a properly defended action).

        Better to put up with increased letters than get a CCJ!!!

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

          Originally posted by des8 View Post
          I personally would try to avoid notifying RLP of a change of address, as any contact with them only encourages them to up the pressure.

          After your exams will you be moving away from the area or will you be able to pop round to collect any mail?
          Royal Mail do a redirection service, but it is a bit pricey https://www.royalmail.com/personal/r...il/redirection

          I suppose it would be better to notify them of a change of address than do nothing.
          The problem is, not that a future tenant will open your mail, but they will return it to sender as "moved away".
          That would be a signal for RLP to initiate a court action of which you would be unaware, and so could not defend.
          As such they would obtain a County Court Judgement against you by default (which is the only way they could win a properly defended action).

          Better to put up with increased letters than get a CCJ!!!
          I think I would rather buy a mail redirection service than talk to RLP. I'm in this current house until the end of June, then I start an internship for 2 months starting from July. I'm not entirely sure where I'll be living at yet for my internship, so the only reliable place (for now) I can redirect the mail to is my family home. My internship is on the other end of the country though so I won't be able to open the letters, and obviously I couldn't ask my family to open them for me. Do you know how long RLP tend to hound people for? Also, thank you very much for your help

          Edit - I'll be back in my student house area in September.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

            Impossible to say for certain how long RLP keep up the pressure,as we can't know for sure on the forum when peeps receive their last letter.
            Best guess is somewhere between 4 and 8 months.

            Do you not have a friend to whose address you can redirect your post, without perhaps confiding in them (although the envelopes carry RLP identification)?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

              Originally posted by des8 View Post
              Impossible to say for certain how long RLP keep up the pressure,as we can't know for sure on the forum when peeps receive their last letter.
              Best guess is somewhere between 4 and 8 months.

              Do you not have a friend to whose address you can redirect your post, without perhaps confiding in them (although the envelopes carry RLP identification)?
              All of my close friends are university students, so we will all be moving around over the whole summer There is one other person I could ask I guess (again they're looking to move house soon but not a student at least, so won't be moving again for a while.)

              My envelope did not contain any RLP identification, it was just a plain white envelope. Maybe next time it will, so perhaps my family home isn't the best place to redirect mail to.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

                Originally posted by aisle View Post
                My envelope did not contain any RLP identification, it was just a plain white envelope..
                That's unusual .... perhaps they are not scaring enough peeps into paying now a days and are saving money!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

                  Originally posted by des8 View Post
                  That's unusual .... perhaps they are not scaring enough peeps into paying now a days and are saving money!
                  Hello, I'm back again looking for a bit more advice

                  I tried the mail redirection service but for some reason, the application keeps getting rejected online. I can apply for it in person at the post office but Royal Mail need documents that I don't have (e.g. utility bills in my name for the old address - none of the bills were addressed to me.) The last 2 options are to either ignore RLP and don't tell them about changing address... or, get into contact with them about changing address. If I choose the latter, how would I go about doing this?

                  Overall, I'm really unsure about what to do. I don't want to acknowledge RLP by telling them I've changed addresses, but I don't want to risk being taken to court either

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

                    If you are going to be back in the area next September, any chance of asking Landlord to keep any post for you till then, and then pop round and ask the next set of students to put your post to one side for collection by you on perhaps a monthly basis

                    If that's not possible, I would be inclined to forget about it and hope the next set of students just bin any of your post

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Caught shoplifting with security detagger

                      I'll try what you suggested, thank you again for your help!

                      Comment

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