Hi everyone,

On the 3rd of April I made a stupid mistake of attempting to shoplift for the first time from TKMAXX.

I was with my 15 y/old friend and as we were walking around the shop I saw a few items that I wanted but could justify paying for. I didn't take anything out of packaging as the items I saw were already just loose and not in packaging. The

My friend pulled a bar-code off an item and stuck it in my bag.

I went to the till and paid for a couple of items and then as I was leaving the store a man grabbed me and told me to follow him to the back of the store.

We followed him and were taken into a small room through the back of the shop.

In the room there was a man who I believe to have been the security guard and the Store Manager. I was asked to remove every single item from my handbag, my jacket pockets and my shopping bags.

When removing all the items I was asked for receipts, which I didn't have as I don't carry receipts with me. The security guard told us that he had watched me walk around the whole store through CCTV and remove items from packaging (which I didn't do, my friend did), testing items and putting them in my pocket.

During the time held in the room I was asked for ID and my full name, address, date of birth and a contact number. This was all written down on a scrap piece of paper. (The friend I was with didn't get asked for any personal details)

Whilst this was going on the Store Manager asked another staff member to go and collect that packaging that I "ripped apart". The

The staff member came back and they totalled up the cost of all items being around £50.

The Store Manager told me they were going to get the police but then changed their mind and said as their shift was going to end soon they couldn't be bothered waiting around and wasting anymore of their time.

I was told that we would need to sign a form that confirms that we will not enter the premises again, they never brought us the form and we were allowed to leave the store. When leaving the Store Manager said that we were lucky that no further action would be taken.

Now today the 13th I have just received a letter through the door from the "Retail Loss Prevention Limited" asking for a fixed contribution to all of the losses in sum of £150.00.

In the letter it explains that a court proceeding is a last resort.

I am wondering if I need to pay this £150 and if I don't what will happen???

Thank you!

Ignore RLP totally

Read a few threads here you'll get the idea

Hi and welcome to CAG.

Firstly, are you under 18?

What will happen if you ignore the letter? Nothing, zilch, nada. RLP cannot take any action against you. Only TKMaxx can do that, except they don't.

If you look at the stickies at the top of this forum, you will see various stuff which will help you understand where you stand

Hi and welcome to CAG.

Firstly, are you under 18?

 

What will happen if you ignore the letter? Nothing, zilch, nada. RLP cannot take any action against you. Only TKMaxx can do that, except they don't.

 

If you look at the stickies at the top of this forum, you will see various stuff which will help you understand where you stand

Hello,

I am 18, as soon as they asked that they took all my details and none from my friend!

So I will be 100% fine if I do not pay it or contact them?

Thank you for the reply.

correct

Our advice does not give anyone carte blanch to shoplift. Our mantra is that the police are the best body to deal with store theft. Next time you may not be so lucky so stopping now is what you should be doing and encouraging your 'friend' to do the same.

Having said that,it is my belief that two wrongs don't make a right. RLP state that they are there to prevent and deter shoplifting. Not true. If they did manage to stop shoplifting, they would go out of business. It is purely a money making scheme for them and the retailer. The last I heard, RLP shared any money with the retailer on a 60/40 basis so by saying £150 for security costs cannot be true.

The general public pay for the security costs whenever they buy from a store and security costs are a core business cost which cannot be levied afterwards. ( exceptional circumstances aside)

Put this down to experience, don't do it again and don't worry about RLP or any low life debt collection agency that may write to you.

at 18 you are an adult as far as the law is concerned and you become responsible for your 15 year old friends actions.

as they shredded the packaging of several items the store could have taken action to force you to pay for their losses but they didnt so as above you can ignore RLP

because this all has nothing to do with them but consider yourself fortunate the store doesnt have the inclination to continue with this matter.

bear this in mind when you go along with someone else's harebrained ideas