Retail loss prevention

[Froot]

Hi all before i go into this i want everyone to know i'm very ashamed and sorry for what i've done and will never do it again was in a bad place and was taking advice from the wrong people :/.

So i've shop lifted twice from Boots and they caught me the 2nd time they took all the stuff off me and said they have been watching me a few weeks but didn't have enough to catch me the first time or something. The police were already there when they took me into the back room they took all my details. They verbally cautioned me and gave me a fine of £90 which i payed straight away later that day. I've been banned from that store which i agree with. The security guy took my name address and national insurance number he said he needed that to get me banned from the store. Was also given a sheet about retail loss prevention and he said that they would send me a letter to recover the stuff i stole and how much it cost boots to hire him watch cctv check tills etc. The police said its no longer a matter for them and its upto boots to recover the losses which i was relieved about in a way but can't help thinking what if i can't afford what they want me to pay? Can i pay installments weekly or something? I'm a single mum at the moment so its very scary for me. I'm dreading the letter

[bluebottle]

Re: Retail loss prevention

RLP are well-known for making fatuous claims which have been dismissed by the courts (A Retailer -v- Miss B & Miss K [2012] aka The Oxford Case).

At most, Boots would only be able to claim for the retail price of any goods they have been unable to recover. Claiming for the cost of security, CCTV, etc., is not permitted, as The Oxford Case showed.

I am somewhat concerned that Boots asked for your National Insurance Number. Technically and legally, they have no right to demand details of your National Insurance Number. I would be inclined to alert the DWP about this, asking them to confirm, in writing, if at all possible, if a retailer can demand details of National Insurance Number.

[Froot]

Re: Retail loss prevention

They wouldn't be able to stop my benefit or anything would they? I was a bit confused as in to how a national insurance number would get me banned from the store he assured me none of the details would go outside the room we were in. Of course i won't be stepping anywhere near that store now. When i was caught all the products were recovered but the first time there was about £60 worth he said but i've seen people charged hundreds of pounds for less amounts.

[charitynjw]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Hi Froot, & welcome to Legal Beagles.

No need to panic - RLP & their ilk are in the (dubious) business of what we refer to as speculative invoicing.

Below you will see 'Similar Threads' - have a read through a few of those to get the flavour of it.

For an actual court case, see attached.

[Froot]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Thank you both. Theres a number on the RLP sheet that i call to discuss my case the incident happened yesterday would they have my case already? I just want it gone i'll pay whatever i need to in installments of course im assuming they're sort of like a debt recovery agency? But more serious? and if i offer a certain amount a week or month they need to consider it?

[bluebottle]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Thank you both. Theres a number on the RLP sheet that i call to discuss my case the incident happened yesterday would they have my case already? I just want it gone i'll pay whatever i need to in installments of course im assuming they're sort of like a debt recovery agency? But more serious? and if i offer a certain amount a week or month they need to consider it?

What RLP actually are isn't fit to be posted on this thread, let alone this site.

RLP are not a debt recovery agency, nor are they a legal firm. There is nothing in law that requires you to deal with them. I know of nothing that prevents you from dealing directly with the retailer and leaving RLP out of it altogether.

My feeling is that retail civil recovery is heading for the dustbin of history. It has been abused and I can see legislation being enacted to either regulate it - it is currently not subject to any form of statutory regulation - or outlaw it. Given the abuse of it and the ruling in The Oxford Case, I feel the latter is the more likely.

[charitynjw]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Hi

Read the links below, and the case details in the above post.

& if I were you, I wouldn't 'phone them, or contact them at all, & I would keep the money in my pocket.

Should they contact you, just post it on here & we'll assist you accordingly.

[Froot]

Re: Retail loss prevention

That is what i tried to do i said to the security guard add up all the unrecoverable products and i'll pay for them and they didn't even answer me. He acted like he was called in personally by boots to just watch me.

[charitynjw]

Re: Retail loss prevention

He acted like he was called in personally by boots to just watch me.

In a way he was - not just you, of course, but all the people in the shop.

That is his job; he would have been paid for that day, or part of that day, whether you had entered the shop or not.

Therefore they (the shop & RLP) can't bill you for anything, as they haven't lost anything.

To try & do so is called 'unjust enrichment'

[Froot]

Re: Retail loss prevention

I don't know why they try to charge for things they already have in place like cctv they watch it all the time so why are they billing for it or checking tills they do that all the time too its mad. I'm glad i joined this site i would be none the wiser to all of this!

[EXC]

Re: Retail loss prevention

http://cms.bwbllp.com/Files/MediaCov...PrivateEye.pdf

http://www.bwbllp.com/knowledge/news...recovery-case/

[Froot]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Not sure if boots are going to send me a letter with what i owe them that was unrecoverable or if they will get in touch RLP they just gave me a fact sheet on RLP so i assume they're going to do it through them.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Retail loss prevention

They wouldn't be able to stop my benefit or anything would they?

Of course not.

I was a bit confused as in to how a national insurance number would get me banned from the store he assured me none of the details would go outside the room we were in.

Then why did the security goon want your NI number?

I do hope you told him a fake number, as I suspect it may have been requested so that RLP may add it to their unregistered (and probably illegal) employment blacklisting database. (link)

[CleverClogs]

Re: Retail loss prevention

RLP & their ilk are in the (dubious) business of what we refer to as speculative bullying.

I've fixed your post for you. msl:

[CleverClogs]

Re: Retail loss prevention

Not sure if boots are going to send me a letter with what i owe them that was unrecoverable or if they will get in touch RLP they just gave me a fact sheet on RLP so i assume they're going to do it through them.

Let me make this quite clear - neither Boots nor RLP is entitled to any "damages" in respect of security measures taken as part of the day to day business of the retailer. The only damages to which the retailer might be entitled would be those it could prove arose directly from the act of theft, including the wages of any staff member(s) who had been diverted from their usual, revenue generating activities.

As the goods were recovered and put back on sale, Boots cannot claim even the wholesale cost for them. As the security goon was merely performing part of his appointed role in the store, Boots cannot claim for any part of his wages.

Apart from. perhaps, the cost of a member of staff putting the goods back on display, Boots are entitled to nothing.

I'd not even give them the steam off my piss.