Hi, I'm a new user here. I don't underestand forums very well, but I am going to tell you what happened me yesterday.

First of all, my English is not very well, because I came to England a few months ago. I am from Spain.

I'm so humiliated and disgusted with myself but I was caught shoplifting £80 of goods from Primark. I am having bad money problems so I decided to do it. I honestly don't know what went through my mind. When I were about to exit the store, two guards were waiting for me and we went to a dark and close room on the ground floor, and we were there for about 1 hour & half.

They asked me for my address, my identity card, and then they called the police. The police man take me a picture and write all my information (date of birth, parents names, my address on Spain...), then he told me the typical movie's phrase ''Everything You Say Can And Will Be Used Against You…'' and I said I'm sorry. Then, we went with his car to my house because he want to prove that I am currently living there.

Also I'm absolutely petrified that this will stop me from getting jobs in the future. Do I have a criminal record and will employers be able to see what happened? I'm constantly worrying about this, I am 18.

He told me that I would receive a RLP letter in the post, and I am so sad because I do not have a lot of money and I have read that maybe I would have to pay a lot. I have read on this forum a lot that I should ignore the RLP fine, however i would like to know how people on this forum know it. And what would happen if y do not pay the money. I really won't have time to collect so much money!. What is better, ignoring or answering? And do you know how many money should I pay?

Every advice much appreciated.

Please accept genuine apologies, I am not a bad person. Many thanks.

What did the police do did they offer and give you a Caution? If so the matter is closed as far as they are concerned.

As to RLP don't worry about them, we can deal with RLP when they contact you. normal procedure is to ignore them. There was a court case they lost in 2012 that makes their business model very risky for them if they try to take anyone to court for the money. And no RLP cannot have you sent to jail or anything like that.

Hi and welcome to CAG. Sorry you were missed.

It all depends on what the police said to you when you were cautioned. Did they let you off with a caution? Did they issue you with a fixed penalty notice? I take it you were not taken to a police station and interviewed under caution. (You didn't say you were)

Until we get an answer to that, we cannot say what will happen although if nothing comes from the police, they will place your details on the National Police Database and may be disclosed in an enhanced DBS check should the Chief Constable think it is necessary to do so.

As for Retail Loss Prevention, what they will issue will NOT be a fine. They are not allowed to. What they will send you is a letter demanding 'compensation' for the stores losses. IF it was for a stores genuine losses then surely the store would get the money with a commission going to RLP. this is not the case. While I don't know the contractual arrangements between RLP and stores, it has been rumoured that the split is 60% to the store and 40% to RLP.

In 2012 a case was brought by a retailer (not allowed to name them) against a couple of teenagers who had admitted shoplifting but the retailer, even with the help of many legal experts lost this case as the amounts claimed did not even come close to what it had actually cost them. While this case does not set a precedent that can be cited in other court cases, it is a persuasive argument should any other retailer take court action.

Since that one case, there have been no more cases taken to court as it now appears that it will cost a retailer far more in costs than they could ever hope to get back in compensation.

I did a thread last year that spells out what I feel RLP letters say and mean

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?448994-RLP-FAQ-s.-What-do-they-mean-Reviewed-September-2015&p=4762870&viewfull=1#post4762870

Have a read.

What can RLP do to you. Well, apart from sending you some scary letters which will mislead you as they use language which can be confusing, nothing! Once the series of letters peter out, they will then pass this charge on to a debt collector who will also write scary letters, The debt collector has even less power than RLP.

The ONLY people that 'might' take court action are Primark but they don't bother as it is just not worth their while.

If you treat the letters as spam posts then read what they actually say, not what you think they say, you will see just how powerless they really are. They will put words such as 'could', 'may', 'might' instead of 'will'

Sorry for the long post but as you say, your English is not so good so I wanted to spell it out as best I can.

One other thing. Don't do it again!

Primark?/ they are cheaper than Charity shops.!! ooppsss