RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

[Unhappy1]

Hi, I'm so humiliated and disgusted with myself but I was caught shoplifting £27 worth of goods from a superdrug store. I'm currently in my final few months of university,having bad money problems and also on antidepressants. I honestly don't know what went through my mind. It was my very first offence and cried the whole time I was getting interrogated by the store detective.
the police took my name and address to do a identity check and then I was handed with a letter from the RLP. I was told to expect a fine in the form of a letter.
After doing research I've read the I could be fined over £180 and I cannot afford this but I'm planning on borrowing from a friend to pay and just get it out the way.
is it best to pay and forget about it or can I ignore the letters?
also I'm absolutely petrified that this will stop me from getting jobs in the future. Do I have a criminal record and will employers be able to see what happened? I'm constantly worrying about this, it's taking over my life and seriously affecting my studying at uni.

[PAWS]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Good Morning Unhappy.
I can see from the time you posted that you are really suffering. I have no sound legal advice but what I will say is that this thing will pass. At the moment, and especially in the ‘wee small hours’ your mind will be spinning but if you think that you are the only student who ever shoplifted then you are wrong. I am not sure what effect this will have on your record but if you are not going into one of the few professions where a records check is required then it will not affect your employment prospects and If you have not been taken to court I am not sure this would actually count as a ‘criminal’ conviction –but I would wait to hear what the legal smarts have to say on that.
Try to be a little easier on yourself. We all **** up at some stage in our lives and if this is the worst thing you do then you will have a pretty good life!:hug:

[ostell]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

You can safely ignore anything that RLP demand of you. They do not have the authority to issue you with a fine. They will write you some letters demanding some money that will get more and more threatening but in the end they can do nothing. They tried court once but came away very embarrassed by the judge. If you search RLP and Oxford you should find the information. Even if RLP tried court again it would be a civil matter and NOT criminal.

If the police have not taken any further action so far then they probably won't.

[Kati]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Hi Unhappy ... welcome to LB!

I have a couple of questions for you:
1, were you actually CHARGED by the police (taken to the police station, read your rights, given a copy of your 'charge sheet')?
2, were you taken to court over this (or told at any time by the police to expext a summons)?
3, did the store recover the goods from you?

Personally, I would have to agree with PAWS on this, and advise you to try not to worry
RLP have a habit of sending out letters demanding 'payment' for the time they took dealing with the matter, but the consensus is to just ignore them!
You will have learnt your lesson after being caught, and I would hope that you will never shoplift again, but beating yourself up over it will not be helping.

There are lots of Beagles on here who will advise you further, although I'd suggest coming back if you DO get a letter from RLP - you will get lots of help and support in dealing with it then from everyone here

K x

[Unhappy1]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Thank you for your replies. Are you 100% sure I can ignore the letters? I have bad luck and knowing me I'll be the next person taken to court which is why I'm so tempted to just pay it and get it out the way.
also, the address I gave the store detective and what is written on my civil recovery form is for my flat at uni (which I move out of in may) but the police officer wrote my parents address on his note pad. They told me this matter has nothing to do with the police now but is there any way that letters will get sent to my parents house?

Also does anyone know if this incident is on record and will it ruin my chances of getting a job?

[Unhappy1]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Hi Kati thank you for your reply.
the police were called but I don't believe I was charged also I gave the goods back to the shop.
the only thing they mentioned about court was if I didn't pay the fine. Which is why I'm thinking about just doing it to get it out the way

[wales01man]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Unlikely the Police will pass the address on as you will read on here RLP have no legal powers you cannot be Fined by them .

[Kati]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Yes, you can ignore the letters :nod:

Unless they send you a 'letter before action' or actually issue court proceedings against you (both very unlikely), there is nothing RLP can do to make you pay their SPECULATIVE INVOICES

You have been told that it is not a police matter (so you haven't been formally charged) which means you do not have a 'record' that would show up on any searches. RLP only have your uni address, so they cannot write to your parents (and as it's not a police matter, the police won't either)

K x

[Amethyst]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Have a read http://legalbeagles.info/civil-recov...s-of-hearings/

[des8]

Re: RLP civil recovery. Caught shoplifting. Help please

Hi and welcome.
So you've joined the RLP fan club.
They will , as Ostell said, write ever more threatening letters in the hope of scaring you into paying them some money.
Don't feel bad about yourself. You mentioned antidepressants, they can affect judgement and behaviour.
Regarding RLP, a quick search here, or anywhere on the net, will give you the same advice
Here's a link to one of our recent "cases" http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...oss+protection
and a link to the "oxford" case; http://www.farrarsbuilding.co.uk/cms...-v-B-K_001.pdf
and a precis of the case by some barristers:http://www.farrarsbuilding.co.uk/lat...-9-May-2012-99

Cease to worry, just expect a series of letters for the next few months

[Unhappy1]

RLP civil recovery, letter received. NEED ADVICE PLEASE

Hi, I posted here last week regarding a shoplifting incident that was very out of character. I have received this letter from the RLP - I attached a picture.
i was advised to ignore all letters from the RLP but I was expecting a fine. This letter states that they have given me 21 days to advise them of any circumstances which may have contributed to my actions. As I am on antidepressants should I inform them or just ignore this letter and forget anything that happened? I'm a student so can't afford to pay a big fine.
Please help. Thank you.

[Unhappy1]

Re: RLP civil recovery, letter received. NEED ADVICE PLEASE

It also says in the letter that I was involved in a wrongful act which caused loss to the client.
The items were returned to the store and were able to be resold so there was no loss.
do I reply and correct them and also tell them about my antidepressants or should I ignore everything now? They have given me 21 days to reply and they say if they do not receive a reply they have to option but to proceed with the claim.
I need serious advise I'm so scared. I'm only 22 and at my last year if uni. It was so out of character I just want this to be over, please help me

[ostell]

Re: RLP civil recovery, letter received. NEED ADVICE PLEASE

The advice to ignore still applies. Who do you think is going to give you a big fine? RLP cannot fine you, only a court can.

They tried court once and failed miserably.

[Kati]

Re: RLP civil recovery, letter received. NEED ADVICE PLEASE

I'd (personally) still ignore it until you get an actual court claim letter RLP are renown for sending increasingly threatening letters but have not taken anyone to court in a very long time xx

[Unhappy1]

Re: RLP civil recovery, letter received. NEED ADVICE PLEASE

I move out of the address they have in a few months so I will be unaware if I get a court claim letter. Surely this will result in me getting in to even more trouble.
im so stressed and scared, I need reassuring 100% cause I'm constantly thinking about it