Last week I did something stupid. I regret this so much. I haven’t slept properly for a week. I wake up every two hours feeling worried and anxious about what I did. I’ve barely eaten. I’m so worried that I feel physically sick. I can’t concentrate at work. This is always on my mind. I don’t know what to do.

I was at Tesco and I took some of their ready to eat, hot food in my hand. I don’t know what got into me, but instead of paying, I just walked out with the food, without paying. Total value was about £6. I’ve never done anything like this before. One of their staff (not security) followed me out. I was holding the food in my hand and he stopped me a little bit up the street (well out of the store/premises). He told me that I didn’t pay for the food. I told him (lied) that I did. He grabbed me by the sleeve and told me to come back to the store with him. I told him that I didn’t want to and pulled my arm away. At this stage I was really scared. He told me that he knows I didn’t pay for it, but he can’t sell the food now that I’ve taken it out of the store (I guess since it’s ready to eat?) and that he never wanted to see me in the store again.

I walked away and felt sick. I offered the food to the homeless lady that sleeps on my street. I then went back to the store with the intention of going inside and apologising (and paying) but I didn’t have the nerve to go back in.

I know for a fact that Tesco have to report all these kinds of incidents’ to the police. They also have me on CCTV and can probably easily find me (name, address, etc.) because I was in the store earlier that day and paid by card. I am by no means poor. I could have paid for the food. I still don’t know why I did this. I recently graduated from uni and just got my first job. I could have and should have paid. I don’t want a criminal record – this will ruin my life.

What do you guys think I should do? Should I go to the store and confess? Should I go to the police and confess? Will they go easier on me if I just confessed and paid a fine? I’ve read on these forums that it can bean £80 fine – but this is normally when the goods are recovered. Tesco didn’t recover their goods from me. I freaked out and lied to the guy. I don’t mind paying fines, doing community work – anything – I just can’t get a criminal record this early in my career. It will ruin me.

Please, any advice will be appreciated.

Hello and Welcome charlie.a,

I'm not really too clued up on shoplifting and what the consequences might be in your case but have a feeling it won't be nearly as bad as you think.

Hopefully someone will be along shortly with advice for you.

Regards,

Scott.

To be honest it seems the store has washed its hands with this.

Nothing will be served in going back to the store or contact the police. Just put it down to an error in judgement and move on with your life. Why grab a sleeping tiger by the tail?

Thanks for the prompt reply!

It sounds like this to me too, and if a friend came to me with this, I'd tell them the same thing. 95% chance that nothing will happen. But there is a small chance that once they have reported this to the police (which I'm sure they have), the police will investigate and find me. I really regret what I did and want to make things right. I also don't want a permanent record.

The police won't have been called for this. Don't worry. No name no address no contact details. 6 quid...

There's a very slight chance they might but it is extremely doubtful

Say they are called, what is the likely consequence? I'm just going to donate £50 to a charity that Tesco supports so that my conscience is clean.

Hi and welcome to CAG.

I would agree with all the responses so far. Stay away from that particular store for a few months. These things happen and you are punishing yourself for this. You gave no details so they cannot trace you. It would take the proverbial genius to watch you taking the food and then scrolling back throughout the day to find you again and then reconcile the time stamp with your card details.

While CCTV may be either continuous or stop motion is neither here nor there. It would take hours and hours for the sake of £6. Not worth it. Donate to the charity if you must but don't think you are obliged to. Tesco don't care.

Thank you for your response.

I can tell you what happens in my store, as far as things go, the general store manager, leaves security issues, like theft, argument to security

If someone walks out with food with out paying, and has been seen by another member of staff, ie not watching them on cctv; security will check cctv, and if it is shown that the customer has not paid for the food, it will be recorded in the theft book, and cctv kept for around 6 months, no report will be sent to police, if you come into the shop, you wont be approached by any security, however if the customer was to do this a few more times, then this would be passed on to the police

Thanks do you work in a big supermarket type shop? (like Tesco?)