Caught shoplifting, police were called, police didnt turn up, store closed and i was escorted. what should i do next?

[sam bell]

Hi,

was caught shoplifting in boots,

picked up 4 items nearlly worth £700 (as per Boots).

security staff took all my details,

called police, and i had to wait until police turn up, but nobody came.

 

 

security staff called police 4 times,

they were given a log no.

but were getting told that no police officers are free at the moment to attend.

 

 

after 4 hours of waiting, i was let go, as the store had been closed and they waited over an hour for police even after the store was closed.

i was escorted out , i was given banned notice and RLP recovery letter.

 

was cautioned in 2009 for shoplifting in past (in another part of uk),

never did anything wrong again after that.

 

then in january this year i was in trouble with another retail store,

they called police for shoplifting goods worth £40,

police didnt arrest me

 

 

since i had no id on me they wanted to know if all my details given to them were correct,

they brought me home,

they didnt enter my house but waited outside in car until i brought my id and showed it to them.

then they just said that it was a slap on wrist this time but dont do anything wrong again.

 

At that time i told them about incident of 2009 where i was cautioned but they seemed not to have that on their record.

 

• My question is that what should i do next?
  
• do i need to go to police station myself for last night event?
  
• will police come to my house to arrest me?
  

(they dont have my phone no to contact me on.)

• 
  
  • will i go to prison or get a fine or get a caution?
    
  • or will i be luckiest and police wont turn up at my house?
    

  will they search my house or enter inside (if this happens then i will loose my accommodation as i am living with a relative as i didnt have anywhere else to live, and slept two nights in a park two months ago then this relative finally helped and sheltered me, if they know about this then i will even loose the roof from my head)

 

i am very very stressed and dont know what to do.

 

(i asked security staff and he said that i dont need to go to police station, if police contact him then they wil pass my details to them and they will take it from there) they waited that long because of the worth of items stolen were about £650.

[unclebulgaria67]

If Boots have your address details where you are living and Boots want the Police to continue with the matter, then yes you could receive a visit from the Police. The fact they waited hours for Police to attend and phoned them several times, seems to indicate that Boots took the matter very seriously given it was £700 worth of items that you attempted to take without paying.

 

You don't need to visit the Police station. If Police visit, you will just be asked to attend the station. They won't carry out a search of the house, as they have no evidence you actually have stolen items in the house. You don't have to let them in and can simply attend the station to discuss the matter.

 

Can't answer questions about what would happen afterwards if Boots/Police want to continue. If you are asked to attend the Police station to be interviewed under caution, then if it looks like they will charge you, ask for a duty Solicitor.

[BazzaS]

You don't need to visit the Police station. If Police visit, you will just be asked to attend the station. They won't carry out a search of the house, as they have no evidence you actually have stolen items in the house. You don't have to let them in and can simply attend the station to discuss the matter.

 

I agree with : no need to (unprompted) voluntarily attend police station.

If they ask you to attend, do so.

 

There is a third possibility though.

Police can attend your home and arrest you "for prompt & effective investigation of an alleged offence".

Once in custody they can seek (from a senior officer) authority to search your home if they believe relevant evidence is in there.

[sam bell]

I was cautioned in 2009 for shoplifting in past (in another part of uk), i never did anything wrong again after that.

But then in january this year i was in trouble with another retail store, they called police for shoplifting goods worth £40, police didnt arrest me but since i had no id on me they wanted to know if all my details given to them were correct, so they brought me home, they didnt enter my house but waited outside in car until i brought my id and showed it to them. then they just said that it was a slap on wrist this time but dont do anything wrong again.

At that time i told them about incident of 2009 where i was cautioned but they seemed not to have that on their record.

• will i go to prison
  or
  
• get a fine.
  or
  
• get a caution?
  .
  

 

 

i am very very stressed and dont know what to do.

can someone please please put some light on this.........

[BazzaS]

Impossible to tell.

 

Nothing at all might happen.

You might get a further caution.

You might get prosecuted.

 

I can't see how we can guess what will happen with such a range of possibilities. £700 isn't trivial / "I was stealing food out of necessity".

[sgtbush]

The first thing I would do Is make an appointment with your GP and explain to them that you have a problem and you think you need some support.

The hardest thing to do is admit you have a problem, and you've done that by coming here to ask advice.

[dx100uk]

one simple question

did they get these £650 goods back?

[BazzaS]

one simple question

did they get these £650 goods back?

 

Relevant to RLP / 'civil recovery'

Irrelevant to if the police pass it to the CPS for consideration of prosecution.

[sam bell]

one simple question

did they get these £650 goods back?

 

yes they did,

i was so desperate and frustrated with my life, i needed somethings and there was no way i cud have bought these. so i just picked those, put them in my bag , i didnt care if someone was watching me, and i just walked out, i didnt remove no tags no damage to anything, obviously, soon as i walked out, security alarm beeped and they stopped me and took me into a room, where they got everything from my bag, absolutely in sell-able condition.

[sgtbush]

It doesn't matter if the goods were handed back.

The fact is you took something with the intention of depriving the owner.

If the police get authority to charge you from the cps they will.

[pilninggas]

yes they did,

i was so desperate and frustrated with my life, i needed somethings and there was no way i cud have bought these. so i just picked those, put them in my bag , i didnt care if someone was watching me, and i just walked out, i didnt remove no tags no damage to anything, obviously, soon as i walked out, security alarm beeped and they stopped me and took me into a room, where they got everything from my bag, absolutely in sell-able condition.

 

I dont condone theft at any time, but it sounds like you are really struggling. The stress of this incident certainly wont help. You need to speak to friends/family/even your GP and get some support.

[sam bell]

i would like to Thanks everyone from bottom of my heart, everybody has given me advice without judging me, i wish had people like you around me in real life rather than on internet.

 

i was in extreme tensions and felt so compelled to do it,

i thought that after getting these things i may be able to improve things for me a little bit.

 

i never thought about consequences, and now after the incident i have been even so more tensed and depressed that i have been sitting outside my house for most of the time as i dont want police knocking on the door and my relative find out about it. so i was just waiting outside so that i could just go with them from outside if they come.

 

So far nobody has come, and i am praying that nobody will come as i cant afford to make things worse for me anymore.

I cant speak to no family or friends or even my GP as GP is friends with my relative who have sheltered me at the moment. i am badly stuck.

 

once again, Many thanks everyone

[pilninggas]

Your GP cannot discuss anything you speak to them about with anyone outside of a professional setting.

You can speak to them in confidence during an appointment or even ask to see another practitioner.

 

 

If you cannot speak to family or friends [is there not a friend you can confide in?],

 

 

you should see a GP, your desperation and frustration with life is altering your behaviour and putting your wellbeing and safety at risk.

 

 

Also there are numerous anonymous welfare lines you can call, most are 24 hours.

 

 

Google for the area you live in for a number and call them.

 

 

Honestly it really helps take a load off, until you can make a GP appointment.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I agree with the previous poster, your problems should be confidential. Is there another GP in the practice you could talk to?

 

HB

[Guest]

i was so desperate and frustrated with my life.... i didnt care if someone was watching me, and i just walked out, i didnt remove no tags ....

despite your form. it does seem like a cry for help, seems you knew you were going to be caught.

as the guys say, help is out there if someone is genuine about getting it.