Hello everyone, and thanks in advance for your help. I'm a bit worried and I thought that maybe you can help me.

Today I was in Oxford Street. I went to Primark and bought two tops and a jacket. In the afternoon I met a friend in Stratford and to wait for her I went to Primark again to buy some hangers and socks.

While I was in there I decided to buy the same top I bought in the morning for a friend: I took it, tried it on and then left it there because wasn't convinced.

When I walked out the store a guard stopped me and told me to follow him.

I have been taken to a room with the store director, the guard and another woman.

They made me take all the stuff out of ALL the bags I had with me (even boots, h&m and others) and asked for all the receipts. Unfortunately I didn't have the receipt from Primark Oxford Street so they told me that I stole the two tops and the jacket (even if they didn't have the label on because I always cut it off when out of the stores) I had bought in the morning. I tried to tell them that it wasn't true at all, but they didn't listen to me: thay said they had the CCTV and it recorded me taking the top and not putting it back. I said it was a different one and to go check where I left the one I took from their store but they didn't believe me. They also argued that the Forever 21 jumper I had on me was stolen as well and I took it off to show them it was really old.

They told me that they were calling the police, that I had to go to jail right away, that I had to spend days in jail waiting for court. They told me that they were going to ban me from England (I'm Italian) forever, that I had to leave the country, that they don't want people like me here, and that Italians are all the same.

I started crying like mad... I was desperate because I knew I didn't do anything wrong but they really threatened me and I didn't know what to do, so they called the Westfield security guard who told me to admit everything and just say I was sorry to the director and so I did.

They took my passport, they made me write my Italian address and my English address (I used to live in London as a nanny and I'm here visiting the family), they told me that I wasn't going to jail, but that I was banned from Westfield for 3 months and from every Primark forever. I signed the Westfield ban and they took a photo of me.

They gave me a RLP paper and told me that I will receive a letter, that I have to pay the fine right away otherwise they will arrest me, even if I'm back in Italy: they will make Italian police arrest me.

They asked when I was leaving the country, I said on Friday (I lied: I'll stay here until Monday but I didn't want them to know) and they said that I HAVE TO leave on Friday and that I can't come back because otherwise I will go to court.

Then they escorted me out of Westfield.

I'm actually coming back in London in September to work for the same family as before, and to work in a school, and I'm so scared... This isn't fair, I don't want to pay for goods they've stolen from me! But what happens if I don't? What should I tell the family and the school? Will I be able to come back here and work?

I hope I was clear, I know my English isn't perfect and I'm still so distressed from the situation.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!

Hi and welcome to CAG.

Please read around the other threads in this forum to understand that what the security guard has told you is utter rubbish.

As for you paying the fine immediately. More rubbish.

As I understand it, no police were involved so there input is now gone. The Primark 'security' goon who told these lies was doing it just to scare you into paying. I am starting to believe more and more that the security staff get a cut of all monies collected otherwise, why lie in order to scare?

As it is, you will receive a letter from RLP demanding a sprious amount which you should not pay. I suggest a total ignore of them as RLP can do nothing whatsoever to you.

As for travelling back to Italy then returning her. Again nothing to worry about as this is a civil matter, not a legal one.

Thank you, Silverfox! I also asked for advice to the parents of the family I worked for (both important lawyers) and they told me that I will have no criminal record, because to have it they had to call the police right away, but they didn't.

They also don't know anything about RLP and told me that it is illegal to ask for fines for that, and it is blackmail to threat people to arrest them if they don't pay.

I returned the goods (that were mine), I know I don't have to pay and I know that I shouldn't worry so much, but I still am a bit, because it was awful, and I felt ashamed for no reason at all.

Thank you, I hope to fix it as soon as possible. I hope not to receive the letter and I hope to be free to come and go as I like.

Thank you again. I'll try to calm down!

Hello everyone, and thanks in advance for your help. I'm a bit worried and I thought that maybe you can help me.

 

Today I was in Oxford Street. I went to Primark and bought two tops and a jacket. In the afternoon I met a friend in Stratford and to wait for her I went to Primark again to buy some hangers and socks.

 

While I was in there I decided to buy the same top I bought in the morning for a friend: I took it, tried it on and then left it there because wasn't convinced.

When I walked out the store a guard stopped me and told me to follow him.

 

I tried to tell them that it wasn't true at all, but they didn't listen to me: thay said they had the CCTV and it recorded me taking the top and not putting it back.

 

They took my passport, they made me write my Italian address and my English address (I used to live in London as a nanny and I'm here visiting the family), they told me that I wasn't going to jail, but that I was banned from Westfield for 3 months and from every Primark forever. I signed the Westfield ban and they took a photo of me.

 

 

Then they escorted me out of Westfield.

 

 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!

Do you know where the receipt is, did you throw it away, if you can find it, use it

How ever if you threw it away, did you pay by credit or debit card, surely the shop could match it up with you card payment

As for them having it on cctv, write to them, and ask for a copy, go to CAB with the footage, and get them involved

Now I work in ASDA, and if I have to work on security, were told we must be 100% sure the customer hasn't paid for something, but I have seen some colleagues accuse customers, the minute alarms go of, that they haven't paid for the cd, which the customer bought out another shop

I think you should challenge Primark's accusation that you haven't paid for the clothes, you don't personally need to do this, get someone who knows the law; if you can get prove that you paid for the clothes, and the cctv show you put the t-shirt back...primark have got a lot to answer for

Thank you, Silverfox! I also asked for advice to the parents of the family I worked for (both important lawyers)

If there both lawyers, have you considered asking them to help you, it could be Primark have picked on the wrong person to accuse, they wouldn't know these parents were lawyers

Even if you ask the parents, what chances are there, that you could win the case, even if for damages, after all, primark have wrongly accuse you of shoplifting

They gave me a RLP paper and told me that I will receive a letter, that I have to pay the fine right away otherwise they will arrest me, even if I'm back in Italy: they will make Italian police arrest me.

Oh dear. A goon that clearly has no idea of how international law works.... The Italian police would tell this buffoon to "Leccami il culo" and then hang up after having a good laugh.

If RLP do write, you can respond in the same vein or (try to) forget about it.

The Italian police would tell this buffoon to "Leccami il culo" and then hang up after having a good laugh.

I think you must have the same book of essential foreign insults as I do

I think you must have the same book of essential foreign insults as I do

Just translated that.

I seriously don't want to go back there, and I don't want anything to do with them ever again. I'll never go inside a Primark again and I don't care about the stuff they took from me.

I'd love to be able to laugh about it and relax but I think it's still too early to do that.

I just want to be sure that there will be no consequences if I don't pay the fine. I know you told me not to, and the family said the same thing, that they have no right to do such a thing, but they scared so much that I just can't relax.

I just want to leave this awful experience behind me.

Thank you for your help! And I'd probably say Leccami il culo when I'll receive the letter!

There is no fine. At all. The police were not involved, and RLP have absolutely NOTHING to do with the UK legal system, or in fact ANY legal system,

It is not a fine.

It is a dubious demand for money to cover the alleged costs of "security" and beer money to line Ms Lambert's (a.k.a. RLP) pockets. The worst she can do is write a series of increasingly desperate letters before finally giving up. You will not be arrested, either in this country or in Italy, nor can she prevent you from travelling across Europe or the rest of the world.

It is not a fine.

 

It is a dubious demand for money to cover the alleged costs of "security" and beer money to line Ms Lambert's (a.k.a. RLP) pockets. The worst she can do is write a series of increasingly desperate letters before finally giving up. You will not be arrested, either in this country or in Italy, nor can she prevent you from travelling across Europe or the rest of the world.

To add to this, she cannot do ANYTHING. AT ALL. IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

I wonder why no-one thought to check this out with the Oxford Street store. I'm sure they'd have CCTV and the way tills are they would be able to tell the items you paid for had gone through the till and how they were paid for, even if cash. If you did decide to pursue this it might be worth exploring this further.

I agree that RLP can't do anything but in future it's worth being more careful with receipts,

Out of curiosity, why do you take tags off when leaving stores? I usually forget until I want to wear new things then don't have scissors handy to cut them!!

How did you pay for the items? If you paid by card you will get your bank statement to show that you paid for them. I would be writing to Primark's head office and complain that the items were stolen from you (that is what happened however they might want to dress it up afterwards when they realise thet have made a mistake) and that you want your money back and an apology otherwise YOU will be going to the police with a complaint of thft and threatening behaviour (get your employers to make this contact if you think your english isnt good enough). They will undoubtedly want to settle the matter quietly.