Shoplifted in Tesco, banned 6 months

[Cosmico]

What I did was in the moment and very stupid. I paid for everything else except volvic water 6pack which I think was £3 and dates which were £2.50 I think. I never do this ever.
they told me I will be banned for 6 months, I gave them my real name and address and the security guard even got up a picture asking if this is my real house on Google maps. I didn't have my ID with me. I half admitted/ half tried making an excuse.
Is it true that I will be banned from all tescos? I definitely don't wanna enter that specific store, but what if I'm with a friend or family and they enter one of their stores and I'm too embarrassed to admit it and I walk in with them?
How much would the fine be? If its less than 120 i wouldnt mind. Do I have to pay it right away? If I ignore it, will I really be arrested?

There was a time last year Yell wanted to make a website for me when I said I won't until I have enough money as I was just laid off work from being sick. They ended up making one anyways, claiming it cost them and they had Moorcroft on me. I ignored them, changed my number and my email. Never heard of since. The whole thing was about £250 to make the site.

[des8]

Hi and welcome
I wouldn't be too concerned about entering other Tesco stores. Even if they circulated your photo to every store, it would only be one of many and I doubt the staff even bother to look at them. Avoid your current store where you might be recognised.

Regarding the "fine"...it ain't!
It is a speculative invoice, linked to a threatening letter, which is best ignored completely.
If Tesco feel they have suffered loss for which they should receive recompense they should be able to justify it.
They cannot, as the figure is plucked out of the air and bears no relationship to any possible loss.
Just ignore the letters you will receive from DWF.

[Cosmico]

Hi thanks for your response. That Tesco is literally minutes walk from me...let's say I never pay the fine and I come in 6 months later. Would that be forbidden? Also - will bailiffs come to my house? I don't even want to plan on telling my mom. Too embarrassing.

[ostell]

Bailiffs only come to the house IF this has been to court AND IF you had been found guilty AND IF you had been fined by the court AND IF you did not pay. None of this will happen.

So only a court can issue a fine, not a private company. All you will get is letters from a company asking you to pay them for their so called "Loss". There has been no loss and security were doing the job they were being paid to do and would have been paid anyway even if you had not interrupted their walk around the store.

If it's a 6 month ban then that's what it is so feel free to go back in. The staff will probably have changed before the 6 months anyway and there will be no one there who will remember you or the incident.

Best tell you mum now rather than her finding one of the letters. Get it over with in one hit. I'm sure she will be fine about it. A few strong words perhaps but I'm sure you will get help.

[paulajayne]

let's say I never pay the fine .

It is Not A Fine.

Re-read the post from DES8.

And look up RLP on this forum.

[Cosmico]

Thanks for the responses. Will it affect my credit score?

Also, if I pretended to have moved out my house, will they stop sending it?

[MIKE770]

No

No

[Amethyst]

The only way it could affect your credit score would be if they took it to court and obtained a CCJ against you ( and we haven't seen a court claim for a long time so that is incredibly unlikely to happen)

You will get a few nasty letters though, so as Des8 suggests, it's likely better to come clean to Mum now and explain what letters are likely to come so if she does accidentally open one she doesn't panic. ( pre-read some of the expected letters here -> http://legalbeagles.info/forums/foru...rs-rlp-and-dwf )

[Cosmico]

I got a letter from DWF. Asking for £125 (for £6 worth of items that's never been at loss?) They're asking it in 14 days. So after 6 letters they'll give up?

[des8]

Profitable (if amoral) business isn't it if one can extort £125 for no loss!

Half a dozen letters sounds about right

[AnxiousAnnie]

Did you get any more letters? I was caught shoplifting yesterday.
(I was taking a few groceries for dinner that I genuinely couldn't afford, I know it's no excuse really but feeding the family beans on toast all the time gets really depressing.)
Anyway I was told to expect a letter so I'm guessing I'll get one from DWF or one of the others but curious how yours played out so I can prepare myself mentally for what to expect.
Did you get any more letters? How many? Have the letters stopped?
Has anyone ever been taken to court for ignoring the letters? Thanks.

[Amethyst]

Have a read for what to expect letters wise - The Scary Letters.... RLP and DWF
And yes, two girls were taken to court by Boots, on behest of RLP, however Boots lost, dismally, in 2010.... and RLP haven't tried since. See A Retailer v Ms B and Ms K Approved Judgment 09.05.12

[Amethyst]

On the Beans on Toast issues.... there's no shame in using the foodbank if things get tricky - okay it's mostly tinned stuff, but there's normally a bit of variety - and it's better than going through the stress of shoplifting again as you might not be so lucky next time and end up with a criminal record, it's really not worth it.