Hi I am a new student here

I was accused of some shoplifting from Boots in a shopping center yesterday by misunderstand.

I come there to buy some makeup value £80 and forget to pay for a eye drop value £8.

I am so tired and lost and I did not even aware of what was happening then until I was taken to a detention room.

The security guy was rude and didn't believe whatever I said and asked my Id card,phone number and address.

He had photocopy of my Id card and of me by his phone.

He said my info was sent to their system and I was ban to go to Boots forever.

I wrote a letter to complain this by e-mail and their web, but no reply so far.

I have read some info there so I am not so worried about RLP.

What I want to ask for help is:

1. He have my info of ID card and my photo, if I came to other shops, will they know that I was a "thief"? I am very afraid to go shopping now.

2. Will it matters if I look for a job in London?

3. What else influence will this incident have?

I really don't want this misunderstanding effect my life and what others think of me, even if strangers.

I can't sleep all the night. I like London.

Once I thought my future will be bright until this incident happened.

So is it demonstrate that I can't stay in London freely any more?

Though full of sad,

I hope you can tell me the truth and the worst possible in me.

Thank you, thank you very much.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Hi and welcome to CAG.

Responding to your Private Message

I am making an assumption here in that you are not from these shores and you are on a student visa. If so, don't worry one jot about it.

Boots may ban you as they can to anyone they want to.

This will not affect you in any way regarding studying here nor staying in the UK nor applying for jobs.

Boots security will tell you things that are not always true in an effort to scare you into paying the claim you will receive from RLP.

There is nothing RLP can do. Boots won't bother following this up. In fact, apart from the letters, nothing will ever happen.

You don't even have to declare anything when applying for jobs as (from your post) no police were involved.

Thank you! That really help me!

I want to buy some clothes and shoes in the same Westfield as that Boots, will staff in there regard me as a thief?

Do you know what they can do with photocopy of my ID card? I am so worried of this.

Thank you sooooooooooo much!

You have been banned by Boots, not the shopping complex however, if the Westfield shopping centre has a scheme called shopwatch or storewatch, you photo may have been circulated. This is only for security staff and not members of the public. They generally do this for prolific thieves, not very often for first timers like you.

My advice, carry on going to the shops there (apart from Boots) and try not to get paranoid that you are being followed as this is unlikely. So long as you behave normally while in the centre, you should have no problems at all.

Boots security staff have kept a copy of your ID for their files and to pass on to RLP. I assume your address is on the card?

Please read as many RLP threads as you can to understand what they can do (nothing).

Over the next few months, this will pass and you will feel less stressed. The letters you will receive will make you more stressed but if you treat them the same way I (and others) do, you will be fine.

You could have a chat with your local GP to see if there is an underlying reason why you did what you did. They will treat this with full confidentiality.

Thank you. I really want to explain it to Boots manager now but it seems doesn't work. By the way, I still received their ads email.

Thank you again.

Do not bother contacting Boots. Plenty of other stores that sell the same stuff and cheaper too. Superdrug is one.

Try and get some rest, sleep on this, I will be here in the morning to hold your hand if need be.

%>___

ignore it

forget about it

ignore the letters

it didn't happen.

end of..

go get on with your life

dx