Need help understanding RLP

[Mintcar1]

To begin with, I hope I've put this in the right place.
I'm sixteen years of age and yesterday my friend and I did something really bad. We went to Tesco and intended to steal £23.66 worth of stuff. Ridiculous things we didn't even need.
I knew it was bad when we were doing it, but I got a buzz from it. I really regret my actions an all of the pain and humiliation I've caused my family and myself.
Needless to say, we were caught by the security guard as we were leaving the premises (my friend had hold of the bag that all of the stuff was in - we had both put things in the bag though)
He made us walk up to the interview room where we spent two an a half hours waitin for the police I arrive.
As I am sixteen, I was given an RLP notice to read. It said that I would be set a letter via post stating the amount I'm going to be fined. I think it's going to include the loss of the items we took (they can't eresold as we removed the barcodes), time that the staff have been distracted for, security maintenance and the gathering of CCTV footage. I asked the man who brought us up if he'd be able to give me a figure, but he just said that it wasn't something that Tesco dealt with and didn't know anything about it.
The police woman who came to interview us said that my friend's parents had been asked to pay for the products but that they refused. I'm assuming they were offered this chance because the items were all in her bag and not on me. She is now going to be prosecuted.
The police woman said that she was going to take a restorative action - I would have a first warning and that it wouldn't come up on any CBR checks. It would be kept on police file in case I ever get mixed up in anything like this again though.
She then wrote down the interview in her notebook and got me and my dad to sign it. I then aske her about the RLP notice and whether she could give us a figure for it but she said that the police didn't deal with it and she had no experience with it.
We are now waiting for the RLP to come through. I was jut wondering of anyone could give me advice on it, whether not paying will result in being taken to court? Any information you could give me would be a big help thank you

[wales01man]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Sorry for writing this but
This is the most stupid thing you have ever done and hopefully you will never do something like it again As fo getting a buzz? did you not consider the full implications of your stupidity the end result for you could have been much worse Police station court case conviction and sentence , would that be a buzz? Please PLEASE never do this again if you wer my son or daughter i would be fuming and would make you face up to what could have been, Hope someone on this forum offers some sound advice about RLP and with the help of your parents you can move on get your BUZZES some sensible legal way I have never been in trouble with the police but i have known those who have and nearly all have lived to regret their actions please dont do the same /.Sorry if this seems like a rant but im thinking of you and others who do stupid things DONT
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Sound sensible advice from bluebottle

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

As a mum of 3 i agree with wales!

the police have better things to deal with than a load of teenagers being downright stupid, you admitted you wanted to steal it, if I was your dad i would have made you deal with the consequences so Kudos to dad for being so understanding.

Next year you are seen as an adult and admitting to theft carries a prison sentence, its hard enough to find a job without one of them!

As for the RPL i strongly advise doing as Bluebottle suggests, and hopefully just hopefully me and Wales rants will get through to you.. you want a buzz, do a bungee jump, the air ambulances are desperate for sponsered events!!!

[teaboy2]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Guys the OP came here for help, not to be judged by their actions. The OP realises what they did was wrong and stupid, and come on guys, at that age everyone of us did something stupid or somthing we regrett just for a buzz (though not necessarily illegal or unlawful), so where no different to the OP in that sense.

Just remember were not here to judge but simply to help regardless of what the OP did or didn't do - We all know RLP's actions are highly questionable and probably unlawful in certain aspects, such as their partner in crime Cireco Limited procesing an inaccurate unlawful database of ALLEDGED dishonest people and sharing it with other companies/employers whilst not even being registered with the ICO.

So whos commiting the bigger wrong here, the OP or RLP and Cireco limited? I know its definitely not the OP!

[Bill-K]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Well - credit to you for being 'upfront' about this, matey. I was 16 once (weren't we all ? ) - I did a 'TWOC' on a car with a mate, and got stopped and taken into custody. They took my dabs, and we spent the night in the copshop.

I learned from that. I got a court appearance, a fine, penalty points - and a ban from driving my dearly belovéd Lambretta for 6 months.

If it was your intention to do this, and you got caught doing it, I would suggest that you 'take it on the chin.' You get MY respect for being upfront about it, here, good buddy. And- sure - you deserve some help in ensuring that you don't get completely shafted by these guys.

You have a retired 'old guard' copper looking out for you here - but do please be prepared for some punishment. It seems that you deserve it - but it also seems that you deserve credit for trying to deal with this matter - as opposed to completely ignoring it.

Stay cool - but be warm to those whom you deal with.
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Crossed posts with Teaboy, but i think we concur in principle.

[teaboy2]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

I we certainly agree mate

Bet the copper got a shock when he found a fully grown Gorilla sat in the driving seat smiling back at him LOL

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

sorry for the rant guys, but.. its the mum in me saying PLEASE dont do it again.

i worry.. cant help it.

It might be worth the OP talking to a school consellor, if they still have them i have been out of school for *coughs* years, about how they feel and why they did it.

If they do get an RLP letter, i would suggest taking it to the CAB as the OP has admitted the goods were left in an unsaleable condition.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

the goods were left in an unsaleable condition.

Who kept them?

[Mintcar1]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Thank you for all of the replies, no I most certainly won't be doing it again.
Tesco have kept the goods as evidence for my friend's prosecution I think.
I'm not sure whether to get this Richard involved just yet as the letter hasnt yet arrived - when it does my parents and I will be going to see a solicitor/CAB.
My parents weren't even given the option to pay for the goods, despite offering to... I think this is because the goods were found on my friend's person and not me?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

If Tesco retained the goods - for whatever purpose - and propose to dispose of them subsequently, then they surely must have a weaker case for demanding that they be paid the cost of those goods. Note that they can only claim the cost to them of replacement or equivalent goods of the same quality as those that were to have been taken by "Fingers" Francesca.

I consider it to be quite utterly obscene for Tesco to use RLP to exact retribution, especially considering how many millions "Dame" Shirley Porter avoided paying in surcharge and interest thereon from when she ran Westminster Council - link

[Mintcar1]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

What worried my parents and I is that the man from Tesco had no knowledge of what the RLP was, other than that it was a civil recovery service and would contact me and demand a fine.
The small print on the notice says failure to pay up can result in county court, bailiffs and a bad credit rating.
Does anyone actually know what happens of you don't pay the fine? Do they drop it or will they actually take it further?
Thank you very much for the help

[Guest]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Hi
Out of the many thousands of these cases processed by RLP i have not seen one that has actully been taken to court, they say they can document a small number, but when you come to analyse them they are relly nothing to do with this kind of action.

Having said that 95% of cases handled by RLP are triggered by innocent or accidental actions or by losses of goods of a very low value(under a fiver).
I think it would be very unlikely nevertheless that they would pursue, despite what they say.

Peter

[CleverClogs]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

What worried my parents and I is that the man from Tesco had no knowledge of what the RLP was, other than that it was a civil recovery service and would contact me and demand a fine.

RLP cannot impose a fine.

The small print on the notice says failure to pay up can result in county court, bailiffs and a bad credit rating.

Whilst making unwarranted demands reinforced by menaces - which may be what they are doing - can result in criminal proceedings, a criminal conviction, a (lawful) fine, a term of imprisonment and the inability to work with children.

Can you scan and post that notice?

Does anyone actually know what happens of you don't pay the fine?

It is not a fine!

Do they drop it or will they actually take it further?

It would be most unusual if they did for, despite their claims to the contrary, they really do not have a viable case.

They will, however, huff and puff and threaten all manner of things, but they're all mouth and shiny Primark trousers.

[Mintcar1]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

Thanks for all of the help.
I looked up the amounts that are generally demanded by RLP on the CAB report 'Uncivil Recovery' and I worked out I'll be charged with £137.50 as well as the cost of the items (due to their defaced nature).
If my parents and I refuse to pay this and seek a solicitor's advice, is it possible that I'm going to be taken to court and have the CCTV footage shown etc.?
And when the letter with the price on it does come through, will it come through with te evidence of the theft? Or just a letter demanding payment?

[teaboy2]

Re: Need help understanding RLP

No evidence will be with the letter - It will simply be a templated letter saying you committed a wrongful act and demanding payment, and threaten legal action if you don't pay. But ignore it as so far we have not heard of them actually taking anyone to court (despite their claims to the contary) and if they did then they risk ending up like ACS LAW e.g getting their arses kicked by the judge and ending up bankrupt.