RLP advice re shoplifting

[Guest]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

OK, Seesaw:
I have scanned the result of the court case in which a shoplifter was taken to court by RLP before.
I have read the letter from RLP.

"is this legal?" - it's all in the details.
RLP must invoice you, with a breakdown of the alleged losses, in effect!
The breakdown should include any stock loss and why, and all security expenses attributable to this one incident.
If in court, your brother would simply state whether he believes he has already paid for the losses, and why.

Please tell your brother it might have been cheaper to put the chicken on the credit card.

For Retail Loss Prevention: you might be well advised to look at your methods of business. Letters containing a threat of legal action, and demanding payment for alleged losses incurred by your client(s) following a fixed penalty ticket must be detailed. This is so they may not be seen as a mere act of intimidation. If enough letters were issued with no sound legal basis, a public nuisance could arise.

[kanine]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

Hello All, I am no lover of supermarkets, and probably the company or person that gave Tesco the chicken have already reported it stolen (only joking, though not really) !!!

[CleverClogs]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

If enough letters were issued with no sound legal basis, a public nuisance could arise.

I have yet to see (or read about) any letter sent by RLP in which alleged costs specifically arising from the alleged incident had been listed.

Consequently, I would tend to believe that none of their letters had a "sound legal basis".

[bluebottle]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

OK, Seesaw:
I have scanned the result of the court case in which a shoplifter was taken to court by RLP before.
I have read the letter from RLP.

"is this legal?" - it's all in the details.
RLP must invoice you, with a breakdown of the alleged losses, in effect!
The breakdown should include any stock loss and why, and all security expenses attributable to this one incident.
If in court, your brother would simply state whether he believes he has already paid for the losses, and why.

Please tell your brother it might have been cheaper to put the chicken on the credit card.

For Retail Loss Prevention: you might be well advised to look at your methods of business. Letters containing a threat of legal action, and demanding payment for alleged losses incurred by your client(s) following a fixed penalty ticket must be detailed. This is so they may not be seen as a mere act of intimidation. If enough letters were issued with no sound legal basis, a public nuisance could arise.

It could be a lot more serious than that if RLP repeat their demands and threats, CP. RLP have been drinking in the Last Chance Saloon for a while and, if they are not careful, time is going to be called on them.

[Seesaw]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

Thanks for all the advice, I am going to send it all to him, I can't do anymore now its up to him to decide what to do, however he is exactly the type of person they rely on to pay (first time offender, never been in trouble before). He is too scared not to pay because the fear of the threats. He made a mistake, he has never done anything like this before and I certainly think he has learnt a lesson (however why he stole from tescos is beyond me!)

I think I may end up writing a letter for him asking for the breakdown of losses as suggested.

[bluebottle]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

Thanks for all the advice, I am going to send it all to him, I can't do anymore now its up to him to decide what to do, however he is exactly the type of person they rely on to pay (first time offender, never been in trouble before). He is too scared not to pay because the fear of the threats. He made a mistake, he has never done anything like this before and I certainly think he has learnt a lesson (however why he stole from tescos is beyond me!)

I think I may end up writing a letter for him asking for the breakdown of losses as suggested.

Ask them to also provide a detailed account of the alleged "wrongdoings". If they avoid answering this, I would be inclined to go for legal-restraint of both RLP and the retailer involved. They won't like it, but, as the saying goes, "If you play with fire, expect to get burned".

[gravytrain]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

I still think the best advice is to ignore it.We know form previous cases that when asked for an itemized account they respond with some case stating that it proves that costs can be estimated.

It does no such thing of course, but this is what they will say. At the end of the day they will either attempt to enforce or they won't, nothing you will say will make any difference, the fact is that they seldom even try, unless they think they are going to get a default judgment.

[bluebottle]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

I still think the best advice is to ignore it.We know form previous cases that when asked for an itemized account they respond with some case stating that it proves that costs can be estimated.

It does no such thing of course, but this is what they will say. At the end of the day they will either attempt to enforce or they won't, nothing you will say will make any difference, the fact is that they seldom even try, unless they think they are going to get a default judgment.

You would have thought they would have learned from the Oxford case. Not RLP. Oh well, let them learn the hard way.

[gravytrain]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

You would have thought they would have learned from the Oxford case. Not RLP. Oh well, let them learn the hard way.

As you said pretty much last chance saloon time for them.

[bluebottle]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

As you said pretty much last chance saloon time for them.

Yes, indeedy, GT. I wonder if Wacky Jacky is reading this thread like she does most threads referring to RLP on consumer forums like LB, CAG, etc.?

[CleverClogs]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

however why he stole from tescos is beyond me!

Was Waitrose closed at the time?

[CleverClogs]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

I wonder if Wacky Jacky is reading this thread...

I wonder if their blacklist/blackmail database has yet been registered...

[bluebottle]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

I wonder if their blacklist/blackmail database has yet been registered...

I doubt it very much. The ICO would put Wacky Jacky at the top of the list for an early crucifixion! Lol! Seriously though, CC, the list you refer to has echoes of the illegal databases a number of people have been fined for maintaining and the insidious database maintained by The Economic League.

[Seesaw]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

Okay he's decided to try and ignore the letters and threats, but what he is worried about is ballifs turning up? Am I right in thinking that they can't send the ballifs round as its not an unlawful debt until its been to court? What's the likely course, more letters and more threats?
i will keep you updated, but he is quite vulnerable and reckon he will crack and pay because he won't be able to cope.

[Celestine]

Re: RLP advice re shoplifting

Ok definitely NO bailiffs!
Tell him to not even read the damned letters, he'll get a few but if he ignores them, they will give up. Over 50% of these demands are never settled (according to the Oxford judgment. As I said earlier, the 'business model' relies on consumer ignorance, fear and embarrassment.
Just tell your brother to put the letters in a large brown envelope marked 'Empty Threats' or other apt title!!