Completely Insane Shoplifting Incident

[BromptonBike]

Hi,

 

I completely lost the plot this evening.

 

I went to my local Tesco Express (it's attached to a petrol station) and

suddenly got a craving for cream cakes.

 

There were some which were reduced but they weren't the one's I like.

 

In a moment of madness I swapped the price labels to not 1 but 2 packets of cream cakes.

 

I took just 1 packet to the cashier along with some other legitimately reduced items.

 

The cashier realised the what I had done

 

I pretended I had no idea what was going on.

 

In fact I went back and grabbed a packet of legitimately reduced cream cakes,

paid for my total shopping using a Tesco Credit Card (I was obviously having a total meltdown) and left.

 

Total value of the swap 43p or 86p if you include the 2nd packet of cakes I left behind in the chiller cabinet.

 

So my questions are:

 

1) The store staff didn't take me anywhere to question me,

didn't make me fill in any forms,

no Police were called

I guess they couldn't really apprehend me as they don't have a security guard.

 

However they do have my credit card details s

o could they review the CCTV footage and

then tell the Police?

 

Would the Police be interested in a 43p matter?

 

2) Can Tesco pass the matter onto RPL anyway just on the basis of the cashier's suspicion and possibly some CCTV footage?

 

3) Could Tesco subsequently ban me from all their stores?

 

4) How quickly do RPL / Tesco work in such matters. If I don't hear in a month from anyone should I assume I've got off?

 

I'm hoping that as nothing was done at the time,

that Tesco aren't going to involve the Police over 43p.

However whether they can get RLP and a ban in place after the event is another matter.

 

Has anyone had a letter from RLP and /or a ban from Tesco after the event,

or are you always told at the time the offence was suspected/caught?

 

Of course this would all be moot if I hadn't been stupid enough to use my Tesco Credit Card to pay for it all!

 

PS Yes I know I am a total moron.

 

I have never done anything like this before and never will again!

[dx100uk]

I doubt the police will ever be involved

 

 

if RLP do spring a few letters

 

 

TOTALLY IGNORE THEM.

 

 

dx

[BromptonBike]

I doubt the police will ever be involved

 

 

if RLP do spring a few letters

 

 

TOTALLY IGNORE THEM.

 

 

dx

 

Many Thanks DX for your response.

 

 

I've been frantically reading numerous forum posts about this,

and it seems that unless someone in the store actually saw you swapping price labels,

then CCTV footage simply isn't enough.

And that's assuming there is any CCTV footage.

 

 

From a previous incident in that store where I was the victim of an attempted assault,

Tesco admitted at the time that they only have CCTV cameras of the entrance and high value items ie the booze.

 

As I wasn't actually stopped, questioned, the Police called or forced to fill in a form nor handed a banning letter

I don't see what Tesco can actually do now, especially as it involves 43p and I ended up paying the correct amount for it.

 

They would now need to prove that I actually did it (based upon CCTV footage only)

and I'm not sure on what basis RLP would be able to proceed anyway.

 

 

Needless to say if they do, then they'll be wasting alot of paper and postage pursuing me with no result!

 

Needless to say I'm steering clear of cream cakes and that Tesco Store for 6-12 months!

[GrumpyToSayTheLeast]

Cctv is plenty enough to convict on as they have your face, and your using your Tesco card so they have your id. They might review tapes at a later date rather than create a risk to staff by trying to stop you there and then.

 

And whether its 43p, £43 or 4.3million. Its still theft. If only a very small percentage of tescos customers steal like that, it would cost the store thousands.

 

Fingers crossed for you that all will be fine.

[renegadeimp]

Nothing has happened with them. tesco wont do anything on an amount that small. If anything were to happen, it would already have happened.

 

If anything does happen, it will just be a store ban. Theyre not going to care about a 40 p cream cake.

[BromptonBike]

Cctv is plenty enough to convict on as they have your face, and your using your Tesco card so they have your id. They might review tapes at a later date rather than create a risk to staff by trying to stop you there and then.

 

And whether its 43p, £43 or 4.3million. Its still theft. If only a very small percentage of tescos customers steal like that, it would cost the store thousands.

 

Fingers crossed for you that all will be fine.

 

 

Yeah I'm a Tesco Shareholder. It isn't shoplifters costing Tesco money thats the problem, it's the top level management cooking the books of millions!

[BromptonBike]

Nothing has happened with them. tesco wont do anything on an amount that small. If anything were to happen, it would already have happened.

 

If anything does happen, it will just be a store ban. Theyre not going to care about a 40 p cream cake.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes that's my feeling too. The cashier had time to ask his colleague what to do and still didn't ask for ID or my details. I voluntarily paid with my credit card (total stupidity I know!). In fact he just peeled off the dodgy price label, crumbled it up and threw it in the bin. Further I paid the correct price for the cakes anyway before leaving the store.

 

Plus going through CCTV footage is a real pain over 43p, and that's assuming there is even any footage which clearly shows wrongdoing. When I was nearly assaulted in that same store 2 years ago it turned out that the only CCTV cameras they have are on the entrance and on items of high value ie alcohol!

 

Obviously if I'd paid in cash this would all be moot, but I'll steer clear of that store for 6-12 months just in case. I'm just wondering whether RLP can get involved if no action was taken at the time?

[renegadeimp]

Nothing happened. Nothing will happen. Stop worrying about it. If you are concerned. Just stay away from there for a week or two, then go back as normal. If they wanted to do anything, theyd have stopped you before you left. But they wont do anything over 40p.

 

Stay away for 6-12 months might seem like a good idea, but its really extreme paranoia. I mean come on. think about it logically " I stayed away from tesco for 12 months because i nabbed a 49p cream cake."

[BazzaS]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes that's my feeling too. The cashier had time to ask his colleague what to do and still didn't ask for ID or my details. I voluntarily paid with my credit card (total stupidity I know!). In fact he just peeled off the dodgy price label, crumbled it up and threw it in the bin. Further I paid the correct price for the cakes anyway before leaving the store.

 

Plus going through CCTV footage is a real pain over 43p, and that's assuming there is even any footage which clearly shows wrongdoing. When I was nearly assaulted in that same store 2 years ago it turned out that the only CCTV cameras they have are on the entrance and on items of high value ie alcohol!

 

Obviously if I'd paid in cash this would all be moot, but I'll steer clear of that store for 6-12 months just in case. I'm just wondering whether RLP can get involved if no action was taken at the time?

 

If you never left the store without goods you hadn't paid the asking price for : it isn't theft (aka shoplifting)

Theoretically it is fraud by false representation (an offence made out by the attempt, even if the attempt doesn't succeed).

 

I doubt anyone would pursue it for the 43p, if they haven't done so already.

 

They can choose to ban you from the store (& don't need a reason or excuse to do so).

 

If RLP try to get involved ; ignore them or send a single letter stating "I deny a debt to you."

[BromptonBike]

Nothing happened. Nothing will happen. Stop worrying about it. If you are concerned. Just stay away from there for a week or two, then go back as normal. If they wanted to do anything, theyd have stopped you before you left. But they wont do anything over 40p.

 

Stay away for 6-12 months might seem like a good idea, but its really extreme paranoia. I mean come on. think about it logically " I stayed away from tesco for 12 months because i nabbed a 49p cream cake."

 

Many thanks. I'm just being completely paranoid I know but reading GrumpyToSayTheLeast comment didn't really help! I'm just rethinking what happened and putting in nuances where there were none. Worst case is a store ban (if that) but seriously, if the Police / Tesco put any effort into chasing me over possibly losing 43p then they all have far too much time on their hands!

 

PS I'm fine not popping into that store for 12 months, because the road near me is now full of other Supermarket Express stores. Apparentely they are the new charity shops on the high street!

[renegadeimp]

One thing to remember. Don't deal in 'what if' scenarios. If anything was going to happen, it would already have happened. A couple of checkout operators gossiping is nothing. Stop worrying and carry on as normal.

 

Just make sure you don't do something as silly as you did again. You might not be so lucky next time.

[Sidewinder]

Almost certain that you will not hear any more about this. Tesco will pat the cashier on the back for being observant but they will not go to the trouble of tracing card details and most certainly won't involve RLP - for one thing you weren't served with an RLP notice whilst in store which is what enables them to share your details with RLP - were they to do so it would be a breach of the DPA.

 

I would however avoid the store for as long as you are able to - your name and image may well have been circulated amongst the staff to keep an eye on you (or even ask you to leave) as a suspected price-swapper should you go back anytime soon.

 

And DON'T go trying this again - there or anywhere else - you may not be so fortunate next time and you could be looking at Police involvement.

[BromptonBike]

One thing to remember. Don't deal in 'what if' scenarios. If anything was going to happen, it would already have happened. A couple of checkout operators gossiping is nothing. Stop worrying and carry on as normal.

 

Just make sure you don't do something as silly as you did again. You might not be so lucky next time.

 

Many thanks Renegadeimp for taking the time to provide the reassurance. And don't worry, I won't be doing this ever again. I've totally learned my lesson

[BromptonBike]

Almost certain that you will not hear any more about this. Tesco will pat the cashier on the back for being observant but they will not go to the trouble of tracing card details and most certainly won't involve RLP - for one thing you weren't served with an RLP notice whilst in store which is what enables them to share your details with RLP - were they to do so it would be a breach of the DPA.

 

I would however avoid the store for as long as you are able to - your name and image may well have been circulated amongst the staff to keep an eye on you (or even ask you to leave) as a suspected price-swapper should you go back anytime soon.

 

And DON'T go trying this again - there or anywhere else - you may not be so fortunate next time and you could be looking at Police involvement.

 

Many many thanks Sidewinder for the clarification. From reading numerous posts I assumed that I probably wouldn't hear anything not because it was only 43p, but because there seems to be a very specific process followed in these cases (unless it involves multiple thefts). This involves being stopped at the time by security, properly ID'd, made to sign a banning letter and then told / given a letter re RLP. As none of that happened I assumed it was unlikely to after the event, especially as CCTV footage unless v v clear is not enough evidence. Further small stores only have CCTV on expensive items such as booze.

 

I will definitely be steering clear of that store as they could issue me with a ban in person. The good news is there are lots of others nearby and also that store has an extremely high turnover of staff anyway. However it was v useful to know that Tesco cannot pass my details onto RLP as I wasn't looking forward to dealing with them.

 

And after this close scare I'm not going to be doing anything as stupid as this again. It was a one time only thing (a moment of madness) and I've totally learned my lesson!

[ericsbrother]

As another Tesco shareholder I would be obliged if you can forward the 43p to me via my payal account. It is a damned sight more than the divi I am going to get in the next 2 years.