Caught shoplifting in B&Q

[Arcticwolf]

Hi, i did something really stupid and stole LED light bulbs from B&Q. About 2 months ago i purchased LED light bulbs for my kitchen out of the bulbs 1 didn't work so my wife said take them back, so i was looking for the receipt but couldn't find it anywhere so i said just forget it, within 5 weeks all the bulbs had blown so i said i'm going back to get another 5 and said to the wife i'm not going to pay for these ones, stupid i know but i was so angry, anyway i have never shoplifted before and got caught, taken into a room gave my details and he took my photo and i said what happens now and the guy said you will just be banned from all B&Q shops and you will get a letter and a fine of about £100, no police were called and that was it. Do i just pay the fine when it comes?

[des8]

Of course you don't pay it, as it is not a fine.
Fines come from the courts, penalties from the police and council.

unregulated uncivil recovery firms send out invoices, dressed in legalistic terms to frighten their victims into paying extortionate penalties to which neither they nor the retailers have any right.

B&Q have lost nothing and it has not cost them any extra to deal with you.
The staff involved were doing their job for which they are paid
You owe them nothing and should ignore the stream of garbage which will come through your door

[Arcticwolf]

Thanks for your advice

[echat11]

You should of just taken the 'blown bulbs' back, they would have replaced them, they are pretty good on the 'customer service' front.

[Arcticwolf]

Hi, When i went back to the shop i took all the blown bulbs with me and they said with out the receipt they will do nothing and said i could of purchased them from another shop, so i went in the shop and just picked some up and thats when i got caught because i think they watched me do it, should of left it a few days then gone in, i'm not a professional never stole anything in my life only a packet of sweets when i was 9 and i got caught doing that too.

Just waiting now for the letters to arrive the item was only £18 for 5 LED light bulds i was so peed off when the bulbs last a month when it says 20,000 hours.

[echat11]

Hi, When i went back to the shop i took all the blown bulbs with me and they said with out the receipt they will do nothing and said i could of purchased them from another shop, so i went in the shop and just picked some up and thats when i got caught because i think they watched me do it, should of left it a few days then gone in, i'm not a professional never stole anything in my life only a packet of sweets when i was 9 and i got caught doing that too.

Just waiting now for the letters to arrive the item was only £18 for 5 LED light bulds i was so peed off when the bulbs last a month when it says 20,000 hours.

As Des says, don't pay the 'speculative invoices', update the thread if anything happens.

[Arcticwolf]

As it's my first shoplifting offence i don't know what i should expect. i know i'm going to get letters asking for money because i have read other threads, but do they sometimes take you to court?

[des8]

Not now a days
A firm tried it once but lost heavily
You can read the gory details here: https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...gment-09-05-12

[Arcticwolf]

Hi,
Received my first letter today, £95.00. Do i phone them to say i'm not paying or do i ignore it. it says that i have 21 days to make payment after which it will be sent back to b&q for them to proceed with court proceedings.

[echat11]

Hi,
Received my first letter today, £95.00. Do i phone them to say i'm not paying or do i ignore it. it says that i have 21 days to make payment after which it will be sent back to b&q for them to proceed with court proceedings.

File it away, you received it at 13.00pm, a read, filed away at 13.01pm, make tea at 13.02pm, clear skies, do what you do Tuesday afternoons, have a great day. Hopefully that's answered your question.

[Arcticwolf]

will do, enjoy the rest of your day too.

[Arcticwolf]

Hi,
Just to let you and others know.
Received second letter from CRS today 22/03/2022.
Reads much the same as the first letter other than stating that my discount offer expires on 25/03/2022.

Regards

[echat11]

Hi,
Just to let you and others know.
Received second letter from CRS today 22/03/2022.
Reads much the same as the first letter other than stating that my discount offer expires on 25/03/2022.

Regards

Same advice as in post 10. Enjoy the rest of your day.

[Arcticwolf]

Just to let everyone know i'm still getting letters saying the same thing, i only have a limited time to make payment, so my advice to all other would be to take Leaglebeagles excellent advice and just ignore the letters.

[Whymeplease]

Hello please could we have an update regarding this? Many thanks