Please help, worried and very upset

[hello1990]

I did something extremely stupid and out of character of myself and ended up attempting to steal from Superdrug yesterday, where an undercover security guard caught me and took me downstairs into their staff room. The police were called and I have been issued with an FPN, they took my name, address, number, email address and driving license details. I also had to sign a few documents, banning me from the shopping centre for 6 months and one for the police, in a way of apology to the store. I was then escorted out and went home.

 

During all of this I recall the security guard saying I will be charged via the store, but I was extremely distressed and upset that I do not remember exactly what he said.

 

For anyone who has been in this situation, or has any advice in this situation, please can you help me in answering the following:

 

1. I am extremely worried an FPN will have a negative effect on any job roles I apply for in the near future, is this true? And if so, what sort of jobs? I am not looking to work with young adults or vulnerable adults, if this helps.

 

2. What kind of fine will I be given? I have read that the police fine will be £80-£90, but then Superdrug will charge me anything over £137+ via RLP, and I do not know where I stand on this, I have been reading around and see many users commenting saying RLP do not have a legal say like they admit to, what is my best course of action here?

 

Thank you in advance for any help.

[hello1990]

Also in addition, how will the FPN be paid for? Do I receive a letter?

 

Thank you.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I was under the impression that the FPN was the only document you got, but I might be thinking of something to do with rail fares.

 

Does the FPN have instructions on it for paying? I believe there is a time limit.

 

My best, HB

[Bazooka Boo]

AFAIK, the FPN will be the token £80 straight into the police's profit pocket, once you have paid the FPN, you OWE NOTHING MORE.

 

Any other money that RLP attempt to take off you, can be ignored, DO NOT PAY anything other than the FPN you get off the police.

[Sidewinder]

The FPN (or PND) is issued by the Police.It should contain all the details you need about how and when to pay.

 

You won''t be given a fine - Superdrug will pass your details to a civil recovery company who will send you a speculative invoice suggesting that you owe them money. You don't, and have no need pay them. The amount they ask for will depend on the value of the goods that you attempted to steal, but that matters not. It makes no difference whether they attempt to claim £50, £100 or £1000, the police were called and decided to issue a fixed penalty. You do not owe RLP or any other company anything at all, but you MUST pay the police for the penalty notice.

 

The PND will have no effect on any job that you apply for. It does not appear on a criminal record, and may only be disclosed on an enhanced check if you were to go for a job that requires one.

[hello1990]

Thank you for all the replies so far, making me feel a bit better about it all, I still feel so ashamed.

 

I haven't received a letter regarding the FPN as of yet as this only occurred yesterday, any ideas of how long it'll take to receive it? I'm in an awkward position as the postal system in my building is an atrocity, so I think they may be sending it to my permanent address instead (I am a student), I'm hoping they'll be able to forward the letter on to me within the time frame (which I am unsure of).

 

Does anyone have in mind a time frame in which the letter should be sent out? I want to get it sorted ASAP.

 

Hope my parents don't read my mail first before sending it , if so, will it give details in the letter about what I have done or will it be vague?

 

Kind regards to everyone who replied.

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

Have you looked at the FPN notice please? It may have instructions on it.

 

HB

[hello1990]

What does it look like HB, if you know? I was given 3 letters, one which explained my ban from the shopping centre, one telling me about RLP, and a blue slip from the police which said the time and date of the incident, and was basically a slip to show that I apologised to the manager. Was I meant to have received another letter? I am 99% sure they mentioned a Fixed Penalty Notice, so I am assuming I have to pay the fine?

 

Kind regards.

[Sidewinder]

A PND is usually issued by an officer on the spot, but can also be issued at any reasonable period after the event. They could do this by appointment at a police station or at your home address. It wouldn't be sent to you by post.

[hello1990]

Sidewinder,

 

Oh I see, so does this mean I haven't been given one? They didn't mention about getting into contact with me again, what shall I do? Shall I go to my local police station and check?

 

Thank you.

[hello1990]

Quick update, I think my apology letter was to do with Restorative Justice, and I definitely wasn't given any papers saying about FPN, but still, is it worth going to my local police department and checking?

[Bazooka Boo]

If it will put your own mind at rest then yes, go down to your local cop shop, if it's still open? and explain the situation.

 

However, IMHO, if I was given no paper work, or told to pay a fixed penalty by the police, then I would let sleeping dogs lie, learn from it, and move on.

 

In your first post, you stated that you were 'issued' with a FPN, which implies you were given a fixed penalty notice by the police?

Did they not physically hand you a bit of paper?

[hello1990]

Well I was sure id had because when I left I remember thinking I had, but no I was not issued with a piece of paper, maybe they mentioned it as something I could've received but instead was given an RJ, I'll leave it as I just want the situation to be over. I have definitely learned my lesson!

[Bazooka Boo]

OK, if you DEFO weren't handed anything from the old bill, then it seems they used RJ and the subsequent ban from the centre.

 

The only thing you may well receive via the post now is a fake invoice from RLP claiming you owe them money, you CAN ignore them and any other DCA they feel the need to use to attempt extorting money off you.

 

If RLP do send you a nice little begging letter, then either ignore them, or come back here for advice............which will be to ignore them!

[hello1990]

Haha, thank you for your time and help! I know the letters will be sent to my parents home, is it worth contacting RLP and telling them to send it to my university address? That way I can ignore them easier without my parents constant concern

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

We don't normally recommend contacting RLP because they will think you're taking them seriously. I expect the guys will comment further.

 

Are your parents concerned about the situation?

 

HB

[hello1990]

They aren't aware of the situation, but if they were to open the letter and read it they would become very worried and would probably want to pay it themselves (if this were a real fine I would pay for it myself, never let my parents do it) and I don't want them to do that, I suppose if it got to it I can claim it is about something else, that they should ignore?

[Bazooka Boo]

You can always ask them to forward the letters to you?

Just say you're expecting something and would they forward it on?

[honeybee13]

They aren't aware of the situation, but if they were to open the letter and read it they would become very worried and would probably want to pay it themselves (if this were a real fine I would pay for it myself, never let my parents do it) and I don't want them to do that, I suppose if it got to it I can claim it is about something else, that they should ignore?

 

Well, previous posters have persuaded their parents to read this forum and understand that nobody needs to pay a company like RLP.

 

HB

[hello1990]

You can always ask them to forward the letters to you?

Just say you're expecting something and would they forward it on?

 

This is what I have done, but I feel bad on them wasting stamp money just to deliver me threatening RLP letters haha, the company is not worth it.

[hello1990]

Well, previous posters have persuaded their parents to read this forum and understand that nobody needs to pay a company like RLP.

 

HB

 

That is a good idea, however my parents are not very technology literate ha, and I believe them to be the kind of people who would rather play it safe, I'll probably tell them it's about something else and for them not too worry about it.

[Mr.P]

[...] but I feel bad on them wasting stamp money just to deliver me threatening RLP letters

 

As long as the envelope remains unopened, your parents can simply place a sticky label over the address and write your current one on it. Forwarding post in this way is free although it does take a little while longer for the letter(s) to arrive.

 

I have a sheet of pre-printed address labels and have been forwarding post on to a family member free of charge for some six months now.

[hello1990]

As long as the envelope remains unopened, your parents can simply place a sticky label over the address and write your current one on it. Forwarding post in this way is free although it does take a little while longer for the letter(s) to arrive.

 

I have a sheet of pre-printed address labels and have been forwarding post on to a family member free of charge for some six months now.

 

Ah thank you! This is very helpful, I will let them know about this technique, should also stop them from opening the letters too .

 

Just to confirm I have not received an FPN (sorry for the confusion) and I believe it was a community resolution form that I had to deal with (the community bit had been ripped off at the top of my part of the form) so I shall not be charged. I am extremely grateful for this but it has taught be an invaluable lesson, and I'm very happy for it to be over (well until the RLP letters stop anyway lol).

 

Thank you for everyone who has helped, it was kind seeing as I had done a bad deed.

 

Kind regards to all.

[Bazooka Boo]

Your V.Welcome...

That's a good bit of info Mr.P, I might try that