CRS Shoplifting Civil Recovery Fine

[JD_Peace]

I was caught shoplifting around £20 worth of goods from a B&M Store recently and have just received a Civil Recovery Letter. I have seen many posts online saying that the best course of action is to just ignore the letters however on the day of the incident, the security guard who dealt with the problem told me that if I refused to pay then he would take me to court over it. Should I pay just to make sure that I do not get taken to court? I live with my parents still and as I understand I would be in worse trouble with them for going to court than anything else. Many thanks to anyone who can help.

This is a picture of my first letter on imgur: https://imgur.com/DTavlw1

[MIKE770]

only a court can fine anybody read threads on here

[MIKE770]

Have you read the Oxford judgment and transcripts ? http://legalbeagles.info/forums/foru...h-and-the-lies

[MIKE770]

des8

[JD_Peace]

Thank you very much, do you think that the security guard really will want to take it to court or do you think that it is just a means of intimidation to attempt to get me to pay the fine?

[Amethyst]

The security guard himself has no basis at all to take you to court....sounds like he was trying to intimidate you... I don't know if CRS pay commission to the security guards but it hardly matters - he's employed to do a job ( security presumably) and that's that .. he has no powers whatsoever.

The only people that could take you to court are B&M themselves, CRS couldn't do it, they act 'for' B&M and will try chasing you for the money, but it would have to go back to B&M to take it to court - and I've never heard of them doing so. Also, tbh ' taking you to court' would simply mean issuing you with a claim form, asking for money to 'reover losses' incurred in dealing with your trying to nick £20 worth of stuff from B&M and not succeeding .... which you could defend quite happily, or just pay at that point ( it would increase a bit £25 court fee plus something like £70 legal costs possibly ).

If they are 'recovering losses' then how can then say it's £118 but if you pay it quicker it'll only have cost them £95 ? They can't because it's all invented nonsense. In my opinion of course.

Have a read of the stuff Mike linked you to earlier It was a different firm dealt with it initially, RLP, but the basis of claim is the same... and it was the actual store who had to take it to court.

[JD_Peace]

Great info, thank you for your time in helping me. I was just unsure if the security guard would be the person that CRS would contact but now I assume that CRS would have to contact someone in charge of B&M or at least the branch manager at the store I visited. Thank you again for the help, I'm just going to ignore the letters and hope for the best.

[A_j_m]

What happened when you ignored the letter? I’ve just received my one for pocketing a lighter from Poundland and they want me to pay £83 for it. What shall I do?

[ostell]

You ignore the letter. All the same arguments in the previous case apply to you.