Banned From Tesco, Police called but didn't come, Stressed about what happens next

[NasNus]

Hello everyone,

I have been losing sleep, totally unable to focus, and genuinely stressed like I've never been before since the incident. In no way do I condone what I did, I know I was wrong and stupid and, even to now I don't know why I did it. One thing is for sure I've learnt a brutal lesson I'm never going to forget. Any advice would be appreciated very much.

But essentially for a few months my partner and I have been using the self checkout and putting items through the self checkout as other cheaper items e.e. veggies, so essentially getting a discount on the goods. I think we found this function accidentally and, I have no idea why, it felt like a compulsion, we just kept doing it each time we shopped every week. Well, rightly so, we were finally caught by the Tesco staff this time. Initially they thought only a few were items were unpaid for as they could not see them on the receipt (given they were put through as something else). And I paid for them. However then they said they recognised us as we had been seen on CCTV doing this multiple times before. They asked us to step aside as they were going to ban us and call the police. They showed us a picture of ourselves leaving another time with masks on (and we retained masks on this entire time this time), and then asked for our names and we panicked, refused to take our masks off and just clamped up. They did call the police but they said they were too busy to come. The staff were insisting the police come however and the policewoman on the phone begrudgingly took our names. Though I have no idea if she spelt them right. They obtained a police reference number for their report apparently. They then asked for our IDs and addresses, I declined to give either however my partner was panicked and gave them a foreign ID as she is here on a work visa. They gave us each a lifetime ban from all Tesco stores in written notice, and filled it out using details from her foreign ID (name, DOB, and foreign address) for her, and for me they wrote my name and DOB wrongly from memory of my phone call with the police and put her address on it as we said we lived together. I know this was wrong of me too but I was in a full panic mode of shock when they called the police and I just froze into silence. They said initially they were only going to ban us but because they realised we were serial offenders, head office knew of us and said to call the police if we were ever apprehended. I must say the entire thing was very stressful, we consistently had staff shouting at us and demanding we give them IDs and reveal our faces, and at one point threatened to charge us for wasting their time as they were past their shift hours and staying to deal with us.

At the end they looked through our shopping bags completely and took out any items not listed on the receipt (so the items we had partially paid for that were not listed properly) and then let us go. They told us that the police and civil recovery would contact us, and I think they took our licence plate as I drove off.

It has been two days and I'm so mortified and feel like a completely terrible person. I am barely eating anything, I haven't slept. I'm so scared about the police coming after me. The worst part is I don't know why we did it, we aren't strapped for cash, but after the first time it happened I felt very compelled to keep doing it, I don't know why.

My questions are:
1. What are the chances of the police following this up given they could not be bothered to come to the store and only took our names. I'm worried because although we paid for items twice (once partially and then again fully), and they took any items back we hadn't paid for properly, they did say they had the CCTV from our other attempts and I'm worried they may bring a criminal case to me because of the multiple offences. I am super stressed as I am in a high powered career and I feel like I'm watching 10 years of hard work go down the drain for a few ££.
2. How long do police take to get in contact about these issues? The waiting and not knowing is killing me. As I said, I cannot eat, sleep, or focus on anything. 3. Could this affect my partner's work visa. We're petrified she will get a conviction and lose her visa and be deported.
3. What will happen with civil recovery as we gave a foreign address? I suppose they can track the car licence plate?

Sorry everyone I'm sure you've answered this many times. I appreciate any and all help with this. I just feel utterly ashamed and broken and will never be doing this again! I just want some clarity on what may happen next. Thank you very much.

[echat11]

Hi NASNUS

Try not to worry, I think you are going to have to wait it out and see what you receive and from whom. Don't take any action until you've updated the thread and received some advice.

They already had a pretty good idea of who you were from your previous shopping trips, they could of been pro active as they have the technology in place, they could have called the police who could of tracked you down from your payment method.

Can you make a guesstimate as to Tesco's total loss? i.e. all the shopping trips.

[MIKE770]

you will no doubt get demand for payment (fines by the way they cannot fine anybody only court can) from retail loss prevention,., so called companies, this is standard procedure, ignore them they tend to go away, after a while, they went to court once and got thrashed, look around site and see many others. just do not do it again. stay away from that company for a long time, if the police contact probably be a warning?

[MIKE770]

If the police did not attend, there will be no police record, and unlikely they will contact you.

If you receive a demand from some third party "to cover their costs" just ignore it.
They lost nothing, they incurred no extra quantifiable costs as the staff were only doing their job for which they are paid.
There will be a series of legal sounding letters, which you may file without response.
Eventually they stop.

If the police do contact (write) to you they may state to contact to arrange interview., mostly a caution is given and recorded! but up date us if anything.

[des8]

Also see your other post, but please try and keep your posts to this one thread

[NasNus]

Hi NASNUS

Try not to worry, I think you are going to have to wait it out and see what you receive and from whom. Don't take any action until you've updated the thread and received some advice.

They already had a pretty good idea of who you were from your previous shopping trips, they could of been pro active as they have the technology in place, they could have called the police who could of tracked you down from your payment method.

Can you make a guesstimate as to Tesco's total loss? i.e. all the shopping trips.

Thank you for the reassurance, I am trying to just stay calm.

In terms of a guesstimate, I'm not sure. I would say likely £20-£30 savings each shop on a weekly basis for a few months, but I don't know how many times they witnessed this. As I said they only showed us 4 photos. But yes this is what concerns me as I was reading about 'low-value shoplifting' and that these usually get a penalty notice/community order, however I'm panicked as they said they had CCTV of old instances and I worry if we went over that £200 in total that they may bring a formal charge forward. I know it is my fault, but I have no previous criminal record, I've never done anything like this before, I'm just so scared at such a major criminal charge.

[NasNus]

you will no doubt get demand for payment (fines by the way they cannot fine anybody only court can) from retail loss prevention,., so called companies, this is standard procedure, ignore them they tend to go away, after a while, they went to court once and got thrashed, look around site and see many others. just do not do it again. stay away from that company for a long time, if the police contact probably be a warning?

Yes I have seen the great advice about civil recovery here, I will update this thread if I get a letter. Though I wonder how they would send it to us, as I said they took my partners foreign ID. Have you ever heard of them sending civil recovery letters abroad?

And yes, I will stay far away from tesco. I've learnt a hard lesson and will never be on the wrong side of the law again.

I'm hopeful its just a police warning / penalty / community order, however as I said I'm just worried they may tally up all the little savings I've had doing this and bring a large case for high value shoplifting.

If the police did not attend, there will be no police record, and unlikely they will contact you.

If you receive a demand from some third party "to cover their costs" just ignore it.
They lost nothing, they incurred no extra quantifiable costs as the staff were only doing their job for which they are paid.
There will be a series of legal sounding letters, which you may file without response.
Eventually they stop.

If the police do contact (write) to you they may state to contact to arrange interview., mostly a caution is given and recorded! but up date us if anything.

Thank you! Please see my reply above. I guess I will wait and update you if i hear anything. I'm hoping you are right!

[echat11]

Just distract yourself, don't keep thinking about it, the guys are here to advise and help, just update if you get anything through.

[des8]

If the police should contact you and invite you in for a chat, make sure you take a solicitor.
It will be an interview under caution, and you are entitled to free representation

Poor quality CCTV is not necessarily evidence that would stand up in court, so don't admit to anything without first consulting your solicitor

Also be warned cautions etc although not a criminal conviction , can show on standard and enhanced DBS checks and are not without possible consequences

[echat11]

If the police should contact you and invite you in for a chat, make sure you take a solicitor.
It will be an interview under caution, and you are entitled to free representation

Poor quality CCTV is not necessarily evidence that would stand up in court, so don't admit to anything without first consulting your solicitor

Also be warned cautions etc although not a criminal conviction , can show on standard and enhanced DBS checks and are not without possible consequences

Sound advice.

[NasNus]

Thanks for all the advice and reassurance everyone, I will just try to calm myself and then if I hear anything I'll be sure to update this thread. Many thanks again

[Hecate9]

Can I jump on this thread for advice for the same thing, but it was a one off in TK Maxx. Police were called (in another room so I didn’t hear or see them) but didn’t attend. I had to sign a banning notice for life and give ID, the security guard said Police would probably visit me at home and I’d get a letter with a fine to pay. I heard nothing. Covid happened just after but nothing from police or fine. Then 19 months later I get what seems to be 4th letter from RLP demanding £215 originally but this letter had a discount to £167. This is the first letter I’ve received but from other threads it’s the 4th from them saying the ‘without prejudice save as to costs’ line. I’ve seen the advice to ignore their letters, I seem to have done that unknowingly, but definitely haven’t received a letter before this. As it is 19 months after the incident can police still be involved? Thanks in advance for any guidance, I’m super stressed and thinking I should just pay.

[des8]

Hecate9 you have obviously read some of the other threads and know there is nothing to do except ignore RLP.
I really can't see the police wasting their time coming to see you now, so stop stressing.

In future please don't hi jack other people's threads ... it can make for confusion

[echat11]

Can I jump on this thread for advice for the same thing, but it was a one off in TK Maxx. Police were called (in another room so I didn’t hear or see them) but didn’t attend. I had to sign a banning notice for life and give ID, the security guard said Police would probably visit me at home and I’d get a letter with a fine to pay. I heard nothing. Covid happened just after but nothing from police or fine. Then 19 months later I get what seems to be 4th letter from RLP demanding £215 originally but this letter had a discount to £167. This is the first letter I’ve received but from other threads it’s the 4th from them saying the ‘without prejudice save as to costs’ line. I’ve seen the advice to ignore their letters, I seem to have done that unknowingly, but definitely haven’t received a letter before this. As it is 19 months after the incident can police still be involved? Thanks in advance for any guidance, I’m super stressed and thinking I should just pay.

Definitely do not pay, they can't even give you a breakdown of any costs. It's a 'speculative invoice'.

[NasNus]

Hi all, just to update this thread. I never did hear anything back from the police and we never received any RLP letters either.

However, of course given what had happened we couldn't return to Tesco and moved to another supermarket for our weekly shopping. To our shock however we saw the same security guard that caught us at Tesco in this new store. Initially I don't think he recognised us and I reasoned we weren't doing anything wrong so had nothing to fear, and not much happened for a while but recently I think he recognised us (though I'm not sure how given we still always wear masks and he's never seen our faces I don't think). He followed us through the store in a rather comical fashion pretending to be looking at items, but obviously on our heels. We paid and left without issue but he did follow us outside the store and look at the car and presumably wrote down the plate number. When my partner went again he followed her around but abandoned the effort half way through. This has all been rather stressful and has brought back a lot of anxiety and guilt and shame about the whole initial episode.

It's got me wondering if we should also stay away from that store? I'm becoming worried we'll turn up one day and he'll call the police given they never contacted us. It's been nearly 6 months but I still worry I'll get a random visit one day from the police and my life will be ruined. It's also got me worried the police keep a file on me, and although I mean to avoid any trouble like the plague, I also worry should I ever encounter or need the police that I'll be in the system and get charged.

Any advice on this would be appreciated. Thank you for all the replies so far