most likely they will just be waiting for me to return? As I was walking up to the self check out there were two guys there one of them kept looking over at me and then when I was there he kept watching (stupid to continue I know). Then he went straight to my till right after I left it, logged in and started checking. This is the same guy I saw run out really fast to stop someone who tripped the alarm about 2 month ago (security tag on beef). Which makes me think someone may have reported it the previous time. Or maybe not.

I've been reading loads on different forums and articles on Google. I've not seen any responses on forums to what had happened to them after being caught and contacted by the police. But I've seen plenty of articles with people getting weeks and months in prison for stealing food/drinks anywhere from £150 to over 2 thousand. Many of them had been caught by security but there is a couple that says the cctv was sent to police and they tracked them down. But they wouldn't need to track anyone down when they can easily look at the debit card used? I have no idea if anyone has seen before this occasion or if this is the first time. I was hoping they would be waiting for me next time to stop me. But the more I read about this stuff the more i think I'm screwed.

I know I was wrong and I'd pay 10 thousand pounds in fine if I had to but the jail idea is destroying me. What would happen to my child. I'd lose my job. No way to pay mortgage. People would find out and I'd be hated by those who know me.

Some saying police won't be involved some saying they could pass cctv etc to police I'm in two minds about it. I honestly wouldn't say what happened in my past is due to me stealing but I will say the abuse effected me throughout my life and then after all these years I opened up about it ,the police did nothing at all but offer me money. This made me angry and change the way I think about things but then again I never stole before opening up to what happened to me. I won't blame my past for my wrong actions. I 100% accept that what I've done is wrong but I'm not the type of person to do something again once I've realised how bad of a person it has made me.

I never said it was OK. I compared to if I was to be put in jail for pinching to giving no punishment to my relative who abused me even though police admitted the evidence to be true and offered a sum money which I refused. The difference is night and day to me. I then said but this is no excuse for what I've done.

I really do hope that they don't. I've not been going to work as I have panic attack when leaving the house. I constantly check the letterbox to see if there's any letters from the police. When letters come through my heart races so fast it's worrying. Knowing I could have to wait up to 6 months is going to send me to my grave. I think how it's going to effect my child when I'm in prison and how I lose my job and can't afford mortgage. I also get angry how my abuser when I was a child got off with no punishment but police admitted in writing that the crime actually happened and I could be in jail for pinching from a billion pound company.. . that's no excuse for what I've done though.

About 4 - 6 times. I'd say about £40-£50 each time as I do pay for half the items.

In the past for others do the police usually contact within the first couple of weeks? I'm hoping they are waiting for me to return (which I wont be) and not actually contacted the police at this point. Would we be looking at jail time do you think?

Also how long until I'd know that police won't come to my house/send letter? A month?

The shock alone even if nothing happens has made us stop completely. It's made us realise its really not worth it at all. the chances of police being called right now are 50/50 you think? What would the outcome be from the police? Would it be jail time? Anxiety is through the roof.

You are right and we won't be doing it no more. How sure are you on the fact police won't be involved? Would they not contact police and show them the cctv?

Did my shopping in m&s as I do every week with my partner. When we use the self scan till we dont always scan everything saving maybe £20. This time we didn't scan lots of stuff. We were in a rush which is no excuse but noticed the staff watching us as stupidly we made it obvious. We didn't scan maybe £80 worth of stuff and paid for the rest (£40). As we were leaving I noticed the one of the staff go straight to the till we used and look up what items we bought but we left very quickly and he didnt have any time to stop us. My worry is will they be able to find out who we are from the till/store cctv, find out who we are from our debit card or even find out who we are from the car registration we left in? Will they contact the police and give cctv/card details, reg number? Whats the chances of the police contacting us? We obviously won't be doing it again. We wont be returning to that m&s store or any of them in fact. We are absolutely terrified our anxiety is through the roof and we have a little child.