Are RLP legit? I'm 16 and they're demanding £186.50?

[jacob_gladstone]

Hello CAG!

 

As stated im 16 years of age.

I am ashamed to say that one day I was extraordinarily stupid and stole an £8.00 rucksack from primark.

 

I was stopped and detained by two men (who were very rude and arrogant) who proceeded to demand my name and address, which they said they would check on "police radio".

 

I gave them said info and they let me go.

 

A few weeks later I receive a letter from "RLP" demanding £186.50, and claiming that I stole £12 worth of goods.

 

I have a few questions.

 

 

1. what should I do about the letter and fine?
   
2. is the police radio thing legit or a scare tactic?
   
3. could I get into any trouble with police?
   
4. could I get taken to court if I ignore the letter?
   

thanks a lot guys.

[citizenB]

Whilst you are waiting on one of the team to look in on you - I suggest that you read round other threads in this section of the forum.

 

 

Almost certainly the police radio would have been to frighten you - As I understand it our police force are so badly funded they dont have sufficient radios for their properly trained, legitimate police officers - let alone funding those for store security !

 

 

I am not sure if there is an age limit regarding - but one of the team will definitely be able to confirm that.

 

 

Unless the police were called at the time of the event, then it is most unlikely you will have any problems there.

 

 

It would be most unusual for RLP to take court action.

[BankFodder]

Read through the forums about RLP. You will see that they are a firm of bounty hunters.

 

I be grateful if you would reproduce the letter here in PDF format. Redact the identifiers that we would love to see one.

 

You certainly shouldn't ignore them because this may prompt them to feel that they can simply begin a small claim against you and get a default judgement.

 

I think you should respond to them and tell them that you have no intention of paying them and if they feel that there is some legal basis for their claim then they should let you know what it is and then you will consider the position.

 

The police radio thing was a scare tactic. If you do end up being taken to court then I suggest that you refer to this as part of your defence.

 

Note you won't get into trouble with police. All that is over. If they wanted to call the police then they should have done so at the time.instead for some reason rather they prefer to get in contact with RLP. There have been some unkind suggestions that some security staff are receiving commissions for putting these matters into the hands of RLP. There is absolutely no evidence to substantiate this suggestion and it will be so improper that I can't possibly imagine that RLP would do such a thing. It cannot be true. If you hear any rumours to this effect then if I were you I would discount them.

 

Yes you could be taken to court if you ignore the letter. You could be taken to court if you respond to it in the way that I suggested. The court would simply be a County Court where a money claim would be made against you and you would have an opportunity to defend yourself. If they won then they would get the money that they are claiming and also some other costs including the hearing fee and the claim fee – may be a total of £300 or so plus the money they are claiming.

 

This wouldn't give you any kind of criminal record although if you didn't satisfy the judgement within 30 days then it could go down on your credit file and stay there for six years. This could impact on you getting a credit card or borrowing money.

 

If you were taken to court and you wanted to defend it then I would suggest that you were defended on the basis that firstly you are 16 years old and you are a minor and you had no capacity to enter into any kind of contract.

 

Secondly, you were placed under pressure to sign any documents agreeing to pay money and so your consent was obtained under duress. The trick with the police radio was part of the charade to put you further under pressure

 

The goods which you took were returned to the shop in perfect saleable condition and the money being sought is an extortionate penalty and doesn't reflect any losses either in terms of the goods taken or in terms of administrative costs.

 

Let me say that although RLP have managed to secure judgements against people, I'm not aware that they have secured any judgements in cases which have been defended. I could be wrong, of course that I certainly don't know about them.

 

I believe that on their website they list a lot of cases were apparently they obtained a judgement but nowhere does it say that there is cases were defended and so my feeling is that those cases were undefended and so they were default judgements.

 

I'm interested in the apparent disparity between what you say you stole – £8 and what they say you stole – £12.

 

Is there any explanation for this?

[jacob_gladstone]

thank you for your rapid response!

 

so should I send a letter or just email them?

 

there should be no legal basis as the bag was not harmed in any way, and any costs they try to claim for "security staff" are surely already accounted for as it is their job?

 

there are many different criteria for which they are trying to make me pay for, no category of which my case falls into.

 

I have no idea why they say it was

[dx100uk]

sorry but I disagree

unless the age thing is something useful that BF is thinking about.??

 

you totally ignore RLP - they cant do court

only primark can do that

and they wont for an £8.00 rucksack

as they'll get in trouble for not summoning a responsible adult as you are under 18yrs.??

 

you should never have been taken to the room and questioned alone.

 

theres nothing at all RLP can do to you.

 

 

thread moved to the RLP forum

 

 

dx

[Guest]

as they'll get in trouble for not summoning a responsible adult as you are under 18yrs.??

yep,

and, re the police and pace re 'appropriate adult' its 17.

if all is genuine

[dx100uk]

I was close...

[Guest]

technically, anything said and done re when 'questioning' wld be inadmissable anyway.

as for store security guards 'checking police radio'....

[dx100uk]

they would NEVER have access to the police tetra system.

more like townlink handsets.

mickey mouse walkie talkies.

[silverfox1961]

My turn

 

Hi and welcome from me. Hopefully your idiocy is now over and you won't do it again as if you did so, it would make all of us look like fools for assisting you.

 

Now, the letter from RLP bears no resemblance to reality whatsoever. They cannot take any action whatsoever in their name. Only Primark can do this as they are the ones that "suffered the loss".....allegedly.

In fact, Primark got the bag back so what loss have they incurred. None! Simply put, Primark pay a security company to monitor the store. The security staff are paid whether they catch anyone or not. If they were paid on results, they would be on less than the National Living wage. RLP make the claim that incidents cost between £300-500 per incident yet have failed on so many occasions to show this to be true. The one time it was tried on in court was 2012 and a retailer (with the backing of RLP) lost the case as they could not justify those costs so it's fair to say that RLP are making up an arbitrary sum and pretending that it is a true figure.

 

Primark do not take court action. It would cost them more to take action than they could ever hope to receive if they got a judgement against you-so they don't bother and pass the details on to this bottom feeding company who will try anything 'just' this side of the law to get their pay day.

 

RLP will also say that as you are under 18, they can wait until that time then chase again. well, they can chase but it still won't get them anywhere.

 

Please upload the letter minus your personal details. RLP have updated their website and I would like to see if their letters have changed too.

 

Other than that. Ignore them.

[Guest]

the police tetra system.

generally. this seems to still be case re tetra ('airwave').

https://www.thememo.com/2017/01/25/emergency-services-4g-uk-500m-wasted-on-fumbled-police-ambulance-radio-upgrade/

doesn't surprise though given the reception issues re 4g.

[ericsbrother]

wont even be that, just one bloke talking to his mate pretending to be the police (if they even spoke that is. I can pick up my phone and pretend to call the White House but that doesnt mean that Donny boy has actually answered)

they would NEVER have access to the police tetra system.

more like townlink handsets.

mickey mouse walkie talkies.

[ericsbrother]

Another thing,

the police do not turn out for shoplifting at certain stores because the stores themselves do not invest enough in security.

 

 

Lidl are certainly one of these and you can bet that all of the budget and discount chains fall into that bracket.

Doesn't give people carte blanche to run riot, touch a member of staff and you will be in the back of a van very sharpish but for ordinary small scale pilfering they wont attend as they know that there wont be the necessary level of proof to secure a conviction with the lack of staff to deal with all of the necessaries.

 

So back to your case.

No, dont email RLP or anyone else,

email just gives them a free route to harass you.

 

 

If they have anything to say they can write on paper and pay for stamps themselves.

Also, they know that you cannot sue someone under the age of 18 and if they were ever to try waiting a year or so just to make sure you were of the age of majority they will still lose the claim for abuse of the civil (court) procedures.

 

You will get some more begging letters and they may well write to your parents.

They have no right to do this so if they do you may want to consider a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office about this breach of the DPA.

 

 

they know it is wrong but they rely on people's remorse and feelings of guilt to get to them and their wallets (or even their parents wallets).

 

You know what you did was stupid and wrong so learn from this episode but do not believe that RLP have any part in the legal system.

 

 

they dont even give any of the money they demand to the store concerned,

they actualy charge the store for telling you a pile of piffle.