caught shoplifting from primark, need some advice

[erinxwood]

i’m 15 years old and me and my friend stupidly attempted to shoplift from primark about a month ago. please don’t give me any grief in the replies, i know i was wrong to do it and i regret it, i have been punished by my parents as they didn’t raise me this way, but i just need some advice. they told us that we were banned from primarks in our area but i was wondering how long that would be for? they didn’t specify. i had been looking at some other posts on here about RLP? they didn’t take my address or even my last name, they only took my first name and age and made me call my mum and that was the end of it. TYIA

[PallasAthena]

If they didn't take your address or last name they don't know who you are so you won't hear from RLP, they have no way of contacting you. Primark probably didn't question you further because you were under age and there was no 'responsible adult' present. They didn't photograph you for the same the reason.

As they didn't give you any written notice of the ban there is no definite answer to that. I would advise you stay out of the Primark where it happened in for at least 6 months. Chances are you'll be long forgotten by then. If they don't have your photo they can't match you against the CCTV.

[Rob1111]

I agree with the above poster. You were very lucky. If they called the police it could have been very different. Just don't do it again its not worth it.I would stay well away from it for a while and they'll soon forget about it. I imagine Primark has lots of shop lifters on a regular basis they will be dealing with.

[party123]

hey, RLP send me 3rd letter and actually threatening in the end they will not notify me and deal with another way with their people or whatever or maybe taking me tk court what should i do?

[des8]

What should you do?
Why? Just ignore them as they are showing signs of desperation (and in future start your own thread!)

[party123]

what if they take me to court? im actually scared?

[echat11]

what if they take me to court? im actually scared?

If they did take you to Court, they would have to justify their 'speculative' invoice, the costs listed in their 'speculative' invoices are covered in their 'business model' so they can't provide a 'breakdown' of actual costs.

If you are struggling there is help out there.

[des8]

Look, they do not do court.
They might pass your details to a debt collection agency, but they can do even less than write scary letters.
Sometimes they even use big RED letters.

Now if you need more advice, please start your own thread

[K147]

what if they take me to court? im actually scared?

i would pay it. They could make a report to police and if you end up with a criminal conviction it affects job prospects. Speak to your parents and let them pay it and you pay them back. It’s a tiny amount of money. Use it as a learning exercise. Find out if it brings any reports to police to an end and by your payment and apologise and say it was just an immature thing to do. They will understand. Many people have stolen things from shops when much younger so you are not alone and they will be well aware of that. It doesn’t represent who you are - probably.

[K147]

If they did take you to Court, they would have to justify their 'speculative' invoice, the costs listed in their 'speculative' invoices are covered in their 'business model' so they can't provide a 'breakdown' of actual costs.

If you are struggling there is help out there.

risking a criminal conviction by reports to police is an ill advised thing to do. Effects future earning power and jobs…..The costs are tiny. Just pay it.

[PallasAthena]

i would pay it. They could make a report to police and if you end up with a criminal conviction it affects job prospects.

Sugesting the OP could be prosecuted by the police is poor advice and incorrect IMO.

Who could report what to police? It's RLP's standard BS letter and the "proceedings" they talk about are (as they always are) civil claims not criminal prosecution.

As OP stated at the start no theft from Primark actually took place, only that they "attempted to shoplift". Are you seriously suggesting that the police would investigate and prosecute now someone for a shoplifting incident by a 15 year-old that happened 18 months ago where nothing was stolen? Where the incident was investigated by Primark without an appropriate adult being present and without the police being called?

And the most that even an adult first offence shoplifter would get (unless they are part of a large shoplifting gang using violence) is a Penalty Notice which does not create a criminal record in any case. That's not going to happen to OP either.

OP is not going to be taken to court, neither a civil court nor a criminal one. Posters here do sometimes decide to pay because they find RLP's letters stressful and harassing but not because they risk being taken to court.

[EXC]

i would pay it. They could make a report to police and if you end up with a criminal conviction it affects job prospects. Speak to your parents and let them pay it and you pay them back. It’s a tiny amount of money. Use it as a learning exercise. Find out if it brings any reports to police to an end and by your payment and apologise and say it was just an immature thing to do. They will understand. Many people have stolen things from shops when much younger so you are not alone and they will be well aware of that. It doesn’t represent who you are - probably.

This is terrible advice. The OP should ignore any correspondence from RLP.

[K147]

This is terrible advice. The OP should ignore any correspondence from RLP.

And risk Primark reporting it to the police with possible CCTV and a prosecution with the worry hanging over him and his parents. I think your advice would be worst. You want to mitigate what can happen and find out if all Primark are interested in is getting their money back. If they are then they could confirm they have no interest reporting it to the police. If the letter is ignored then they could report it to police.

[PallasAthena]

. You want to mitigate what can happen and find out if all Primark are interested in is getting their money back.

More alarmist advice from K147 that I recommend OP ignores.

Primark haven't lost any money, the attempted theft did not result in actual theft. So why on earth would OP want to contact Primark now, 18 months after the incident? And OP was only 15 at the time.

Primark will not be reporting anything to the police. There's nothing to report. Our advice continues to be to ignore RLP.

[party123]

this time i got a letter by bpo not rlp? after many days what shoukd i do as its my 4th letter?