Caught shoplifting in IKEA

[png68]

Hi there

 

I did a really stupid thing and shoplifted some items from IKEA.

 

 

I was caught and the security guard, after checking my receipt, said that he would not call the police

and proceeded to issue me with a lifetime ban from all UK IKEA stores.

 

 

He told me that my picture (which was taken with the security camera in the questioning room)

would be posted to all the IKEAs and I would be recognised if I entered any IKEA stores in the UK.

 

This is my first offence and I was very lucky he did not call the police and I missed a criminal record (as this would have prevented me working),

but I still felt the consequence was very harsh.

 

 

I was made to sign the letter banning me and in it, it quotes that I am unable to access any UK IKEA governed space

(including carparks and grounds for ever).

 

I am so gutted and can not believe that I was so stupid as to try and steal such rubbish.

 

The problem is that I like IKEA and it is really useful for work things etc..

...I wondered if IKEA would recognise me if I entered another store?

 

 

Surely they would not have face-recognition cameras and surely their security guards would not be checking facial images

of every person that enters a store?

 

 

Do you think it would be safe to enter a store?

 

 

Or could I write to IKEA head office and ask if they could reconsider there ban as I have learnt my lesson?

 

Am I being crazy even considering this or being worried that I can no longer visit an IKEA store.

 

 

Should I just cut my losses and thank my lucky stars that it was not more serious consequence?

 

Please help me or share your experience if this has happened to you

 

Thanks

[dx100uk]

theres no evidence that any uk stores/centre actually run that software.

 

 

quite honestly I'd not be worried

and just use the store as usual

 

 

all they'd do is ask you to leave under trespass laws anyway.

 

 

I'd be a bit more concerned [but NOT] about RLP

 

 

you'll prob get a series of threat-o-grams to pay anything upto £147.50

 

 

totally IGNORE them.

 

 

dx

[renegadeimp]

Stay away from ikea for a few weeks and they won't remember you.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I don't think Ikea use RLP, or any other civil recovery operator.

[Mr.P]

Had a "security" guard ban me from PC World - Still go in there from time to time and have yet to have the ban enforced.

[silverfox1961]

I don't think Ikea use RLP, or any other civil recovery operator.

 

I think you may be right. Having looked across the entire internet (NOT) I found a company called Kingdom who provide security for Ikea but they also use civil recovery within their company profile. Whether they actually do this is unclear as this is a first for me.

[JoeyJoeC]

AFAIK, Facial recognition technology isn't legal?

 

They wont remember you, maybe the same guard will, but thats about it. Even if they did recognise you, they will only ask you to leave.

[renegadeimp]

Its legal but the costs and legalities involved make it very silly for a retailer to use it.

 

More often than not they tell the min wage security guys to tell the shoplifter that theyre being watched everywhere. Even though ots an outright lie.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I think you may be right. Having looked across the entire internet (NOT) I found a company called Kingdom who provide security for Ikea but they also use civil recovery within their company profile. Whether they actually do this is unclear as this is a first for me.

 

 

 

If it's the same Kingdom that also has some local authority contracts to provide dog poo polizei and litter wardens, I don't think they'd risk RLP-style tactics.

 

It's worth saying, I think, that in principle there's nothing wrong with a retailer seeking to recover their actual losses from a shoplifter, once convicted - it's the way RLP and others have gone about it that has brought it into disrepute, and probably made it much more difficult for legitimate claims to be brought.