Hi Dx, thank you so much for your prompt response and for your reassurance. I know a lot of my thoughts as to what might happen are ridiculous but I'm so scared that my mind is running absolutely wild but im not usually this irrational. Yes I know that I won't be shoplifting ever again, this experience has been so traumatising that I dont want to run the risk of reliving that trauma again I guess that just leaves me with my main question which I need to know- are these people even going to send through that letter? Does it usually take this long for a single letter to be sent through? Have they forgotten about me or something?

Hi guys, I really really need some advice here. It's been abt 2 months since I was caught shoplifting items from M&S worth between £20-30 (undamaged so it was completely okay for them to put them up for sale again). I'm massively remorseful for what I did and am paying the price for it in terms of my mental health. I never shoplifted again after that but am ashamed to say that I've taken things from M+S before on a few occasions, not just once and also not just from this particular store where I was caught for the 1st time. Yes, I know it's so bad and I feel genuine remorse about it but I know I'll never do it again. i was apprehended by a 2 ppl, ID'd and told to expect a letter from civil recovery and that I'm banned from all M&S shops for life. Pictures were taken of me, which felt awful as I know of some relatives that work in other M+S branches and I worry that they may see these pictures. I've read enough threads on here to know that this can't happen due to GDPR rules (? I think) but regardless I'm still worried. The police were thankfully never called as I was worried that this might get revealed on my annual enhanced DBS checks. I've never been in trouble like this so to get apprehended for the first time was quite traumatising for me but I was eventually free to go with just this warning and I've been living life honestly since then. But I've been worried sick over this RLP letter which I know I shouldn't acknowledge, I've read plenty of threads here to know that. But some threads here mention how these civil recovery letters come through within 2 weeks whereas Im here 2 months later with nothing. It's terrifying because now I'm wondering if they later on realised that I've stolen from them before more than once (again for relatively low-value items which I regret even taking, I'm not trying to justify what I did). It's terrifying to think about and it's not completely impossible. Now I'm scared that this might become more than a civil recovery letter and that they might get the police/the courts in on this too which I really don't want and really don't need as I feel that I have learnt my lesson very clearly. As odd as it sounds, I really really want this letter to just come through asap, its getting to the point that I'm tempted to chase this up with the M+S store that apprehended me or the RLP ppl that send out these letters. I have roommates at my residence and have family that come around to my place quite freely so I seriously don't want them to see this letter. I really want this letter to come throgh asap, I feel like this whole situation has taken over my daily life as it's in my head every day and I can't think about it without getting heart palpitations and mild panic attacks because of fear that this case possibly got escalated to the police because why else would a simple civil recovery letter take this long to get delivered? I definitely gave the correct name and address details... Anyways, I hope you guys can advise me on whether it is normal to have to wait this long for said RLP letter and how much longer I can expect to wait (or if they're going to send it at all! The ppl at M&S definitely said that a letter is going to come through no matter what) and whether it's worth contacting M+S/RLP to expedite this whole thing and put an end to it. I am just so ready to move on at this point, Im tired from living in fear Thank you soo much in advance for any advice, it's so appreciated