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Accused stealing from Debenhams!!!
Hallo everyone- this is my first post and I'm looking for advice.
I was accused of shoplifting from Debenhams after leaving with an item I had not paid for.
This was a genuine mistake on my own part and I don't blame security staff (not Debenhams own but that of the shopping centre in which store is located) for stopping me. I had chosen and paid for other goods and was stopped after leaving the store.
This happened after I had spent a couple of hours in town getting other things on my shopping list from other shops - Debenhams was the last stop and I was rushing to get back to my car to keep an appointment.
At the time I was feeling very unwell as I had mistakenly left some of my essential medicine in my car, parked about 15 minutes walk away.
Being a bloody minded sort of person, short on time and with my leg already hurting plenty from walking into and around town - still healing after being broken badly after a dizzy spell led to a fall - a side effect of said medication three months ago - I decided to plough on regardless, get everything and then walk back to the car rather than walk there, take meds, head back into town only to have to come back again.
In Debenhams - feeling dizzy and having trouble concentrating - I picked up the last bits on my list - cufflinks and belt for a wedding reception that night. I picked belt first and then put it in my coat pocket as I chose the cufflinks then went to pay.
The belt stayed in my pocket and wasn't paid for and I left the store and was confronted by the mall security who hustled me straight into a back room.
I explained this was a genuine mistake and I was feeling ill.
The team forcibly took my shoulder bag - I can't remember if they asked permission to search it - and my mobile phone which I asked to be returned to me so I could video this encounter. I also told them I was feeling ill and a steroid outpatient overdue medication and when I got my wallet back showed them the prominent medical card I have to carry in case I become unconscious.
I was told my phone wouldn't work inside, there was a camera recording everything and 'sit the **** down' when I tried to show the room camera my steroid card. My bag was partially emptied and I was asked if I had receipts for the other items I had bought in my bag - yes I had.
i was asked the code for my mobile phone which j refused to give and if I had any ID and gave my bank cards as ID as well as confirming my DOB and address. Again I asked someone call for medical advice or that someone go to my car and fetch it and was told I'd I was up to stealing I was fine and if I went along with things I'd be out in no time to sort myself out.
At this point I was really panicking that I was in the hands of a bunch of bully boys who wouldn't call NHS 111, 999 for either police/ambulance or even an in-store first aider and knew this could be trouble
I was given my bag back and there was confusion over where one of my bank cards had gone - it had been replaced by someone in a slip in my wallet where I don't normally keep it and the security were all asking each other who had it last. I was looking in my bag and opened up the front section which had other (prescribed) drugs in.
The man who had snatched my bag demanded with attitude to know what they were and as I was telling him someone else said 'junkie' which I retaliated to verbally by telling him they were prescribed and he wasn't much good at his job if he'd misplaced my bank card and couldn't find a big blister pack of drugs in a bag he'd searched which got the whole team really angry again.
I was told I'd be barred from Debenhams indefinitely and the mall for a year and to sign two bits of paper agreeing this which I did then given the bums rush out of a back door. The items I had purchased in Debenhams were returned to me but someone had written 'void on them with initials CPS.
I've since asked for all CCTV footage which the security team say I can't have (because it's subject of a criminal investigation).
Checking the papers I'd signed I have acknowledged Civil Recovery notice has been served (nobody mentioned this at the time)
Questions I have
1. Are the police likely to be called in now? (I wanted them there as the bully boys wouldn't listen to me saying this was a genuine mistake over a cheap belt and I didn't want to be in prolonged detention without medicine I needed without a responsible person present)
2. Can I ask for CCTV under data protection act or should I just email asking that the footage be preserved.
3. Civil Recovery - is it still best to ignore fine demands. I've read RPL Oxford ruling but don't know if anything has changed since then. I have to have a financial health check annually as condition of my employment contract- will a recovery (paid or not) show up?
4.Is it worth finding a no win no fee outfit to push back against how I've been treated while in security detention which the CCTV footage will show. I've no problem staying out mall or shop and aren't interested in settling scores but feel like I'm on the back foot 're q3 above so might need a dog in the fight as it were.
Fwiw, I'm 46, only problem with police in past has been a minor speeding conviction, in professional full time employment, have receipts for all the days purchases from Debenhams and other shops (total 138.76)...police didn't attend, I've always got a healthy current bank balance, no debts other than a small mortgage balance.
I have an autoimmune condition causing lot of problems - Addisons Disease (very low blood pressure without meds, confusion, concentration), neuropathy, kidney failure. I've had type1 diabetes (insulin) for 32 years (wasn't hypo at the time, sugars were fine) and being treated for depression, and following serious road accident ongoing treatment for PTSD and the badly broken leg (leg healed but still having physio and codeine and tramadol medicine).
Any advice most gratefully received - thank you.
I was accused of shoplifting from Debenhams after leaving with an item I had not paid for.
This was a genuine mistake on my own part and I don't blame security staff (not Debenhams own but that of the shopping centre in which store is located) for stopping me. I had chosen and paid for other goods and was stopped after leaving the store.
This happened after I had spent a couple of hours in town getting other things on my shopping list from other shops - Debenhams was the last stop and I was rushing to get back to my car to keep an appointment.
At the time I was feeling very unwell as I had mistakenly left some of my essential medicine in my car, parked about 15 minutes walk away.
Being a bloody minded sort of person, short on time and with my leg already hurting plenty from walking into and around town - still healing after being broken badly after a dizzy spell led to a fall - a side effect of said medication three months ago - I decided to plough on regardless, get everything and then walk back to the car rather than walk there, take meds, head back into town only to have to come back again.
In Debenhams - feeling dizzy and having trouble concentrating - I picked up the last bits on my list - cufflinks and belt for a wedding reception that night. I picked belt first and then put it in my coat pocket as I chose the cufflinks then went to pay.
The belt stayed in my pocket and wasn't paid for and I left the store and was confronted by the mall security who hustled me straight into a back room.
I explained this was a genuine mistake and I was feeling ill.
The team forcibly took my shoulder bag - I can't remember if they asked permission to search it - and my mobile phone which I asked to be returned to me so I could video this encounter. I also told them I was feeling ill and a steroid outpatient overdue medication and when I got my wallet back showed them the prominent medical card I have to carry in case I become unconscious.
I was told my phone wouldn't work inside, there was a camera recording everything and 'sit the **** down' when I tried to show the room camera my steroid card. My bag was partially emptied and I was asked if I had receipts for the other items I had bought in my bag - yes I had.
i was asked the code for my mobile phone which j refused to give and if I had any ID and gave my bank cards as ID as well as confirming my DOB and address. Again I asked someone call for medical advice or that someone go to my car and fetch it and was told I'd I was up to stealing I was fine and if I went along with things I'd be out in no time to sort myself out.
At this point I was really panicking that I was in the hands of a bunch of bully boys who wouldn't call NHS 111, 999 for either police/ambulance or even an in-store first aider and knew this could be trouble
I was given my bag back and there was confusion over where one of my bank cards had gone - it had been replaced by someone in a slip in my wallet where I don't normally keep it and the security were all asking each other who had it last. I was looking in my bag and opened up the front section which had other (prescribed) drugs in.
The man who had snatched my bag demanded with attitude to know what they were and as I was telling him someone else said 'junkie' which I retaliated to verbally by telling him they were prescribed and he wasn't much good at his job if he'd misplaced my bank card and couldn't find a big blister pack of drugs in a bag he'd searched which got the whole team really angry again.
I was told I'd be barred from Debenhams indefinitely and the mall for a year and to sign two bits of paper agreeing this which I did then given the bums rush out of a back door. The items I had purchased in Debenhams were returned to me but someone had written 'void on them with initials CPS.
I've since asked for all CCTV footage which the security team say I can't have (because it's subject of a criminal investigation).
Checking the papers I'd signed I have acknowledged Civil Recovery notice has been served (nobody mentioned this at the time)
Questions I have
1. Are the police likely to be called in now? (I wanted them there as the bully boys wouldn't listen to me saying this was a genuine mistake over a cheap belt and I didn't want to be in prolonged detention without medicine I needed without a responsible person present)
2. Can I ask for CCTV under data protection act or should I just email asking that the footage be preserved.
3. Civil Recovery - is it still best to ignore fine demands. I've read RPL Oxford ruling but don't know if anything has changed since then. I have to have a financial health check annually as condition of my employment contract- will a recovery (paid or not) show up?
4.Is it worth finding a no win no fee outfit to push back against how I've been treated while in security detention which the CCTV footage will show. I've no problem staying out mall or shop and aren't interested in settling scores but feel like I'm on the back foot 're q3 above so might need a dog in the fight as it were.
Fwiw, I'm 46, only problem with police in past has been a minor speeding conviction, in professional full time employment, have receipts for all the days purchases from Debenhams and other shops (total 138.76)...police didn't attend, I've always got a healthy current bank balance, no debts other than a small mortgage balance.
I have an autoimmune condition causing lot of problems - Addisons Disease (very low blood pressure without meds, confusion, concentration), neuropathy, kidney failure. I've had type1 diabetes (insulin) for 32 years (wasn't hypo at the time, sugars were fine) and being treated for depression, and following serious road accident ongoing treatment for PTSD and the badly broken leg (leg healed but still having physio and codeine and tramadol medicine).
Any advice most gratefully received - thank you.
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