Hiya all I’m Applepie123

I’m only 16 and I went into Superdrug and wanted to just take an eye brow pencil as I had lost the one I had ACTUALLY bought so I thought I’d just take it out the box and leave the box with the barcode.

Unfortunately, I didn’t notice that a man was watching and if I’m being honest I didn’t care because he looked as though he was part of the general public. So I carried on and walked out the shop. As I was waiting for a friend I decided to stand by the side of the shop (which wasn’t smart) and there the man came and showed me some badge and said “can u follow me to the back of the shop miss”

i didn’t want to cry so I become a bit giggly and he thought as though I wasn’t taking it seriously . He was quite rude, which in a way he kinda had right to.

He asked me to hand it over and showed me the box I had left by the side. It was him and a Superdrug worker. He then asked me what my name was and my address and if I had ID to verify it. I didn’t. Then he stated that he’d have to call the police then to verify it or speak with my mother. I definitely wasn’t going to let him speak with my mother so I showed him my card which verified my name, I gave him my date of birth, my mothers name but the wrong number for my mothers telephone.

He told me I’m banned from that Superdrug and many other shops in town for the next 12 months and shouldn’t be surprised if I’m caught in one and kicked out.

He thrn said that I’ll receive a letter to my house stating the cost of my fine he said it could be £80, £100, which I wasn’t happy about, as he left the price unclear. Then he said u can pay it all at once or in instalments. He then took a picture of me, wrote what I was wearing, my height and made me sign a document, but also gave me some sheets to take. He escorted me out the shop , and at that point I felt so humiliated and embarrassed .

I do regret doing it considering it was only £2.40 and I will never do it again.

But it I was wondering if you could help me with the following

1)who will the letter come addressed to and how long does it usually take to come ?(as I don’t want my mom to see it)

2)does it state every little detail about the crime or does it just generalise it? E.g “your daughter has been caught stealing”

3)how do they calculate the fine and if anyone knows roughly how much I may have to pay?

And is it worth me paying it or just ignoring it, because I feel if I just pay for it they will leave me alone and I’ll be done with it and won’t have to worry.

Hello and welcome to CAG.

I've moved your thread to the shoplifting forum and left you a link to follow from the Welcome one. People should be along later to advise you.

Best, HB

Hi and welcome to CAG.

First off, I am assuming that Superdrug are part of a shop/storewatch scheme so yes he would be able to pass your details onto others stores within the same scheme BUT, he cannot state that you are banned from other stores. Each store will have different procedures to dealing with shoplifters. You would normally be asked to leave if they chose to. All stores are private and customers are there by invitation only and that invitation can be withdrawn for any or no reason at all.

If memory serves me right, Superdrug use Retail Loss prevention (RLP) to collect these "fines!" It is no such thing. It is a charge levied by RLP to you but it has no legal nor lawful power over you. You do not pay it. They have no right to it. Yes they can chase and make statements about court which they don't do. The can't. Only Superdrug can but they don't bother as it would cost them far more than they would ever get back.

The bad stuff. RLP will write to you directly but their letters are franked (no stamp) with their name on it. Nasty but I have checked and they can get away with it.

If you don't respond, it has been noted that RLP wrote to the Parent/Guardian. Whether they still do this, I don't know. With this in mind, it would benefit you if you 'fessed up' to your parents but only if you live in a stable family environment. Once that is done, you can direct them to this forum and show them your (and other) threads to show just how powerless RLP are. Letters could take two to three weeks to arrive.

The letters generalise matters rather than going into fine detail due to RLP using standard template letters. They don't calculate how much they want. They just make up a number and include that in the letter. They also state that each event costs the retailer £300-£500 which is a load of bovine excement. They include this in order to make you think you owe them X amount. You stole. The store got the goods back. No loss. Security staff are paid whether or not they catch a shoplifter.

I really do encourage you to confide in your mum at the very least because you are not obliged to pay this spurious charge-ever. Nobody can take court action against you mainly because you are under 18 and for the reasons above.

When you get a letter (IF) can you cover up all your details and post them here. I haven't had a good laugh for ages. Also, read this https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?448994-RLP-FAQ-s-What-do-they-mean-Reviewed-September-2015&p=4762870&viewfull=1#post4762870

and read around the forum as well

you are of an age where you are deemed to be responsible for your own actiosn and decision making. this means that RLP have no right or obligation to contact anyione else about this matter and if they do so they are breaking the law.

however, that wont stop them as they know you are unlikely to sue them for the breach of the data protection legislation. best tell your mother what yu have told us, suffer the ear bashing and then explain what we ahve said aboyt RLP and their like with regard to their baseless and unlawful demands for money. your mother may well decide to let them know what a buch of shysters they are if they do write to her if she knows about the advice you have been given.

We dont condone theft or damage of shop's stock but we dont belive that people should be punished twice, especially by soemone who has nothing to do with anything like RLP

Hi Applepie123 Hope you are doing well?did you receive the letter with the fine to your home address and if yes did you pay it?

Hello abc, welcome to CAG.

Hopefully Applepie will reply to you, but in the meantime it would be a good idea to start a new thread of your own and tell us what has happened. That way we can advise you on your particular situation.

Best,

HB

it is not a FINE

dx