Hi there, I’m having sleepless nights with worry

About 2 weeks ago, I went through a self check out and bought 2 things, one of the things was under my arm as I was on the phone at the time.

I forgot to pay for it (no sarcasm please)

I left the store,

showing how innocent I am,

I was stood looking in the window of the holiday shop next door browsing at the offers,

the security guard approched me and said you hadn’t paid for an item

I went back in store, paid for the item, apologised about 8 times.

I paid for the item then he said can you come with me,

I went to the back office

He asked for my name and DOB

No address or ID was asked

I gave my correct details but obviously there will be more than one John Smiths in London.

He said you’re banned for life from all sainsburys and told me to leave.

I still apologised; saying I’m sorry

Then I left.

I haven’t heard anything since?

Should there be issue?

Would rather just know, but even then it’s hard to see how he’s ever get in contact unless I went back into a store.

I work in a financial services job,

so was relieved he didn’t ring the police etc,

even then I think with no previous criminal record I could probably explain my actions and be let go,

as I’ve never been convicted of any offence or even spoken to the police in my life.

Can anyone advise?

Thanks

In the first instance you need to relax.

I’m sure you having nothing to worry about but the experts will be along soon enough.

Rest assured that if no address was given or a copy of ID taken then nothing further will happen. We would normally be advising about potential letters from a civil recovery organisation but that cannot be the case here - unless, potentially you used a Nectar card with what you did purchase and you details are picked up from that, but this is a very very remote possibility, so please don't dwell on it. Carry on with you life and put it behind you.

As for a ban - I would certainly avoid shopping in that particular branch for a while - although they could only ask you to leave if you did, this may be a bit embarrassing, but a guard in one store does not have the authority to ban you for life from every Sainsburys. If policu there is the same as at any other major supermarket group then this could only be done, by letter, from Head Office.

So, relax and stop worrying. Police will not have, nor will they ever be informed, and with no idea of where you live, you will not receive any spurious demands for money

I have moved your post to a more appropriate forum

But I paid with my debit card for the original item then the item I hadn’t paid for? Thanks

nothing will happen

forget about it.

dx

they decided to let you pay for the item.

That is the end of the matter.

they cant trace you from your debit card details,

if that was allowble every fraudster in the world would be dippng into your account details whenever they felt like it,

I would have thought you would know that.

Hi and welcome.

As the others have advised, there is nothing to stress over in this matter. I have actually done the same as you but as I am a regular at this small store, they understood and let me pay. This was a Co-Op and not Sainsbugs.

You paid by Debit Card and it is correct that all they can glean from that is the card number and only the last 4 digits too. The rest is covered by the computers.

It sickens me that some stores treat ALL cases as shoplifting. People have 'Senior Moments' all the time so store security should be better trained to understand that these things happen and not to treat everyone as a thief. I appreciate that store security have no idea whether you have done this before but body language is a good sign.

Anyhoo, minor rant over. You won't hear from any civil recovery company and as an aside, you have no obligation to give security staff any details at all, especially if you did nothing wrong. Stand your ground and refuse to go with them into their 'office' and if forced, you call the police.

Try to forget it if you can. Nothing to worry about.