I am very embarrassed to admit that I have been caught shoplifting at Tesco. I took a £5 lipstick. I will certainly never do this again as it was one of the worst days of my life, be assured of that. =(

I have read many posts about this here. They sent me a RLP letter asking for £89.50. I don't have this kind of money.

When the incident happened, they made me pay for the lipstick so they lost no money at the end. I was so terribly sorry that they did not call the police and banned me from that particular Tesco for 3 months.

I read your advice about not paying anything to RLP. If I do not pay them, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? I don't want my friends and boyfriend to find out and although I think I can avoid going there for 3 months, at some point it might prove very difficult to not go (it's a big 24h Tesco very close to my house and the place where I study). It was a very stupid mistake, I have never done this before and I really don't want people to find out.

So my question at the end is only this one: If I do not pay RLP, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? Will they be able to know it's me as I walk through the door? I'm too afraid of the humiliation if I try going there to find out.

I am very embarrassed to admit that I have been caught shoplifting at Tesco. I took a £5 lipstick. I will certainly never do this again as it was one of the worst days of my life, be assured of that. =(

 

I have read many posts about this here. They sent me a RLP letter asking for £89.50. I don't have this kind of money.

 

When the incident happened, they made me pay for the lipstick so they lost no money at the end. I was so terribly sorry that they did not call the police and banned me from that particular Tesco for 3 months.

 

I read your advice about not paying anything to RLP. If I do not pay them, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? I don't want my friends and boyfriend to find out and although I think I can avoid going there for 3 months, at some point it might prove very difficult to not go (it's a big 24h Tesco very close to my house and the place where I study). It was a very stupid mistake, I have never done this before and I really don't want people to find out.

 

So my question at the end is only this one: If I do not pay RLP, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? Will they be able to know it's me as I walk through the door? I'm too afraid of the humiliation if I try going there to find out.

Not paying RLP and any ban are two separate issues.

Don't pay RLP.

Tesco can ban who they wish for whatever reason : there is an implied invitation to enter to shop, and they can rescind that.

You might get away with going in before 3 months but

a) it would be trespassing, and

b) why stir things up?

Stay out of there for the 3 months then go back to your normal life.

Forget RLP.

Thank you for your answer, but I think you didn't understand what I meant. I meant I can stay away for the 3 months, no problem, but will I be still banned after 3 months if I do not pay RLP?

Hi and welcome to CAG

Ignore RLP completely. Their involvement does not affect the ban levied by Tesco. Once the paperwork is finished with, Tesco have forgotten about you. Stay away for the 3 months, it's not that long and besides, Morrisons is miles better.

RLP will send you all sorts of rubbish in the attempt to make you feel they have you over a barrel. Wrong. Any losses by the store can be reclaimed. What losses!

Thank you for this. I will definitely be away from there for the 3 months and I'll probably avoid it for much longer.

One thing on the RLP letter got me very worried though: "(...)your data could be held on a database of civil recovery incidents, which could be made available to a closed member user group, for the purpose of employment screening".

1) Will they keep this information even if I pay the fine?

2) Can my future employers really find this?

We have never seen evidence of this database however, if it does exist, they use the pretence of using it for the detection and prevention of crime which is allowed by the Data Protection Act.

They are not allowed to disclose this to anyone (bar the police) without your express permission.

ONLY if your potential employer is a client of RLP's database company could the obtain the info. In all the years I have been on CAG and helping out on the RLP forum have I seen anyone refused a job due to their employer asking for permission to access the database. I have seen where people on a visa have had a renewal accepted without question.

Don't stress over this. If an employer asks you if you have been convicted of a crime, you can legitimately say no.

Thank you so much. I was thinking I had destroyed my future over this and now I can breath again. Thank you!

I go into Tesco most days, big 24h store.

I've never seen the same person twice, so it's unlikely that they would remember you, especially if you stay away for 3 months

The RLP Dishonesty Database, is exclusive to RLP, and even the Vetting and Barring Service and Disclosure Scotland cannot legitimately access it. I'm waiting for when RLP threaten someone with being put on it who is stopped due to tag left on and receipt found during search, so RLP bill anyway. Civil case against and ICO involvement then that might squish it.

Don't worry you paid up, Tesco had no loss RLP can go swivel.

The same thing happened to me today! I literally picked up a like 25p ball pen started just fiddling with and the put it in my pocket like I owned it! By the time I got to the door I had totally forgotten about it! They said they'll not prosecute but I would be banned for 3 months! When do you get a letter? Do they actually have any right to be able to use your address without saying that something will be sent there?

The same thing happened to me today! I literally picked up a like 25p ball pen started just fiddling with and the put it in my pocket like I owned it! By the time I got to the door I had totally forgotten about it! They said they'll not prosecute but I would be banned for 3 months! When do you get a letter? Do they actually have any right to be able to use your address without saying that something will be sent there?

Hi

Did they take your details? If not, no letter. If yes then it will be a couple of weeks before any letter will arrive (if at all)

Yeah they took my address and DoB

They wont do anything for the sake of a pen. Just wait a few weeks and go back if you wish, or shop elsewhere. Youre worrying over nothing,