Last week I was caught shoplifting in boots. Please do not judge me, I am mortified and so embarrassed about what I have done, I have never stolen anything before and it is completely out of character. My father is terminally ill in hospital and my head is all over the place (I know this is not an excuse).

I picked up a face wash worth around £12, I have no idea why I did it but I put it in my bag and proceeded to leave the store. I was stopped by a security guard who wasn't in uniform. He took me into a little room with cctv and asked me if I had something in my bag. I immediately burst into tears and apologised profusely, I told offered to pay for the item but he refused and proceeded to call the police. I was terrified, I've never been in trouble with the police before and I couldn't stop shaking. The security guard took my name, address, date of birth and national insurance number and made me sign a form saying I could not enter boots for 12 months (fair enough) he also gave me a sheet of paper with some information on about RLP, and told me they would be in touch. After waiting an hour for the police to come they were actually very kind and sympathetic towards me. I told them about my dad, and they were very sympathetic and actually gave me some details of a councillor I could speak to regarding the situation. Much nicer than the horrible boots security guard!!

I was then free to go, the police walked me out of the store, wished me well and said as far as they were concerned that was the end of the matter... But I am still going out of my mind with worry!!! I know I have made a mistake, but I'm terrified what this letter from RLP is going to say. I've read threads on here telling people to ignore their letters and not pay but the boots security guard told me if I didn't pay they would send baillifts round to my house??? Is this true?! I'm 24 and still live with my mum due to my dad being ill, if she sees this letter she will be so angry with me, and she doesn't need any more stress at the moment!! Please help, I am so scared.

Have a read on some of the replies in this section. 1st of all don't pay for any speculative invoice. Don't call or talk to RLP.

Move on and try harder to refrain from taking items that are not yours. This could easily have gone the other way and you now could have a criminal record.

Forget about it move on and stop fretting....

Hi and welcome to CAG

First of all, go see your doctor and have a chat. Mention what has happened as that will give the doctor the right info to help (happy pills, counselling)

I would assume that you have read some other threads about RLP so the advice is to ignore them. Please ask if there is anything you are unsure about.

Read lots of threads as that will give you some idea of what RLP can and cannot do but most of all, put this behind you. You cannot change what has happened, only use the experience in the future.

Last week I was caught shoplifting in boots. Please do not judge me, I am mortified and so embarrassed about what I have done, I have never stolen anything before and it is completely out of character. My father is terminally ill in hospital and my head is all over the place (I know this is not an excuse).

 

I picked up a face wash worth around £12, I have no idea why I did it but I put it in my bag and proceeded to leave the store. I was stopped by a security guard who wasn't in uniform. He took me into a little room with cctv and asked me if I had something in my bag. I immediately burst into tears and apologised profusely, I told offered to pay for the item but he refused and proceeded to call the police. I was terrified, I've never been in trouble with the police before and I couldn't stop shaking. The security guard took my name, address, date of birth and national insurance number and made me sign a form saying I could not enter boots for 12 months (fair enough) he also gave me a sheet of paper with some information on about RLP, and told me they would be in touch. After waiting an hour for the police to come they were actually very kind and sympathetic towards me. I told them about my dad, and they were very sympathetic and actually gave me some details of a councillor I could speak to regarding the situation. Much nicer than the horrible boots security guard!!

 

I was then free to go, the police walked me out of the store, wished me well and said as far as they were concerned that was the end of the matter... But I am still going out of my mind with worry!!! I know I have made a mistake, but I'm terrified what this letter from RLP is going to say. I've read threads on here telling people to ignore their letters and not pay but the boots security guard told me if I didn't pay they would send baillifts round to my house??? Is this true?! I'm 24 and still live with my mum due to my dad being ill, if she sees this letter she will be so angry with me, and she doesn't need any more stress at the moment!! Please help, I am so scared.

Forget the threat of bailiffs.

If the security guard had said "we'll have your left arm & your first born child" : they can say what they like, but it doesn't make it true.

RLP will bluster & they likely will threaten court.

It doesn't mean they'd go to court (they lost an important test case, 'Oxford', and I've not heard of them taking anything to court since)

Even with someone who had a winnable court case (& I doubt RLP have), they'd have to:

win

And then have the loosing party not pay up,

Before they could get bailiffs involved.

So forget RLP & bailiffs.

I can see how you don't want to burden your Mum with more.

My suggestion is not to tell her now : but that doesn't mean you have to deal with this alone, and you've already taken steps to help yourself by posting in CAG.

If your actions were so uncharacteristic for you, do you think you may have reacted to stress or that the situation is affecting your mental health?

I'm by no means suggesting you are "mad", but statistics (from MIND) suggest "1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.", so such is very common, and you could consider speaking to your GP or contacting MIND, or even (anonymously) contacting eg The Samaritans

Longer term : it's up to you if you tell your Mum later, but for now there are other sources of support you can access.

Thanks for your advice. I am actually already on anti depressants as depression is something I have suffered with for a number of years.

I have read other threads saying to ignore RLP's letters, however I am scared about what the security guard said about baillifts?? Surely they do not have the right to do that. As mentioned I live with my mum and neither of us need the stress of people knocking at the door demanding money for a stupid, stupid mistake which will NEVER happen again. I have learnt my lesson.

Your post must have crossed with BazzaS as he deals with this in detail but to reassure you. No bailiff will call. Nobody will come knocking. RLP cannot take court action. Only Boots can but they won't as it will cost them more than it is worth.

Any figures pluck out of fresh air by RLP can be ignored. Once RLP have finished their round of letters, they will pass on the charge to a pet debt collector who have even less power than RLP (who have none)

Forget the threat of bailiffs.

If the security guard had said "we'll have your left arm & your first born child" : they can say what they like, but it doesn't make it true.

 

RLP will bluster & they likely will threaten court.

It doesn't mean they'd go to court (they lost an important test case, 'Oxford', and I've not heard of them taking anything to court since)

 

Even with someone who had a winnable court case (& I doubt RLP have), they'd have to:

win

And then have the loosing party not pay up,

Before they could get bailiffs involved.

 

So forget RLP & bailiffs.

 

I can see how you don't want to burden your Mum with more.

My suggestion is not to tell her now : but that doesn't mean you have to deal with this alone, and you've already taken steps to help yourself by posting in CAG.

 

If your actions were so uncharacteristic for you, do you think you may have reacted to stress or that the situation is affecting your mental health?

I'm by no means suggesting you are "mad", but statistics (from MIND) suggest "1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.", so such is very common, and you could consider speaking to your GP or contacting MIND, or even (anonymously) contacting eg The Samaritans

 

Longer term : it's up to you if you tell your Mum later, but for now there are other sources of support you can access.

I have suffered with mental health issues since I was young, mainly depression and anxiety. I do think I need to speak to someone regarding what has happened, it's really hanging over my head at the moment. I'm struggling to sleep and can't concentrate at work, I just can't believe I would make such a stupid mistake

Hello Poppy.

There won't be bailiffs, please believe us. The security guard shouldn't have said what he did, it sounds very uninformed. I wouldn't take this any further though, move on and worry about the important things in life.

HB

Hello Poppy.

 

There won't be bailiffs, please believe us. The security guard shouldn't have said what he did, it sounds very uninformed. I wouldn't take this any further though, move on and worry about the important things in life.

 

HB

Thank you. I agree he shouldn't have said it, he was obviously just trying to scare me, and it worked!!

Well, you have information now that you didn't know when you were with him.

RLP may write, but they're paper tigers who can do nothing to you. If they do, come back here and we'll give you a pep talk about why the letters don't matter.

You've done the difficult bit by seeing the police. They make the law in the UK, not people like security guards and RLP. And the police have said the matter is closed, haven't they?

Onward and upward, Poppy. Learn your lesson and go back to normal life.

HB x

RLP will play on your guilt and fears so do heed the advice that they can do nothing because they have no interest in this or any other matter. Ignore them, whatever they say.

Were the Police called at all?

Did they issue you with a caution if they were called?

ANY and ALL letters from RLP can be and should be IGNORED, they are simply intimidating you into paying money you DON'T owe.

Are you on medication for your depression?

Might be time to go back to your GP, and have them look at any medication you're on and whether you should increase the dosage?

Did they get the goods back that you took?

Were the Police called at all?

Did they issue you with a caution if they were called?

 

ANY and ALL letters from RLP can be and should be IGNORED, they are simply intimidating you into paying money you DON'T owe.

 

Are you on medication for your depression?

 

Might be time to go back to your GP, and have them look at any medication you're on and whether you should increase the dosage?

 

Did they get the goods back that you took?

I am actually already on anti depressants as depression is something I have suffered with for a number of years.

I was thinking about this issue. While I am very against contacting RLP, they do state that they do consider a persons mental health and while they don't have to take it in mitigation, I have known of (only) one case where RLP dropped the case. This would mean the OP giving out medical information and other personal details and also admits to RLP that they have committed shoplifting. This isn't what I would recommend but I thought that the option be highlighted.

 

You've done the difficult bit by seeing the police. They make the law in the UK, not people like security guards and RLP. And the police have said the matter is closed, haven't they?

 

HB x

Strictly speaking : the police don't make the law, but enforce it and try to ensure it is followed.

They certainly have more powers (and ability to use discretion) than security guards and RLP, and as the police chose no further action it is indeed very unlikely any more will come of this.

Strictly speaking : the police don't make the law, but enforce it and try to ensure it is followed.

 

They certainly have more powers (and ability to use discretion) than security guards and RLP, and as the police chose no further action it is indeed very unlikely any more will come of this.

You're right, Bazza, I should have said enforce. I think we agree on RLP though?

HB

You're right, Bazza, I should have said enforce. I think we agree on RLP though?

 

HB

Absolutely.

Looking at the role of the police (law making vs peacekeeping vs law enforcement)

The Irish have (had?) an interesting take on the issue, as historically the police were seen as an instrument of the British until Independence.

Which is why they don't have police but Gardai : guardians of the constitution (although their website does describe now them as Ireland's National police service....)

But RLP are not police and have no legal powers to do anything.