opps shoplifted from sainsbury's - Please help!!??

[Lauren31]

Hi I have just done the stupidest thing ever, amd now I'm having a full on panic...

Please don't judge or be nasty..

 

I shoplifted some things from Sainsburys,

the alarm went off but nobody came after me

 

I just walked off (I feel sick writing this)

what is going to happen to me now?

 

Will they check the cctv and send the police to my house??

 

I will never again do something so stupid,

I'm punishing myself to the point of throwing up!!

 

Will they check cctv and find my car reg and send the police??

Please can someone help /advise me?

What happens if security doesn't stop you?! :,(

 

Also considering dumping the items outside the store with an apology note I feel that guilty!

[BankFodder]

Also considering dumping the items outside the store with an apology note I feel that guilty!

 

I think that this would be a very decent thing to do – and rather than leaving them outside, simply take them inside. Put them in a bag and take the bag – with the note inside. Give it to the security guy and then walk out while he is trying to look inside it.

 

I think if you leave them outside then there is a risk that somebody else might take them or they might get damaged.

 

If you've learned a lesson and returned the goods then I don't see that anyone has any basis for complaint

[Lauren31]

But what if this alerts them to look at me further when they hadn't in the first instance?

 

Would they not have come after me?!

 

Will they check cctv and send the police around to my home?

 

I am freaking out about this..

I think I will take the things back,

 

I don't want to have the police at my door..

 

how stupid am I Oh my God!

[dx100uk]

police wont be involved

 

doesn't work like that.

 

just hand them back and forget about it.

 

dx

[Ell-enn]

If you're scared to go back into the store with the items, you could perhaps donate them to your local food bank?

[mariner51]

Just hand items you 'found in your bag when you got home, back to the Store Manager.

I doubt he will take any further action against you.

 

What is approx. total cost of items you half-inched?

 

 

Ell-en, unless items are returned to store asap, it would still be theft, - intent to to perm deprive the owner.

[BazzaS]

 

Ell-en, unless items are returned to store asap, it would still be theft, - intent to to perm deprive the owner.

 

It would still be theft even if now returned. It is the intent at the time that is considered, not if the thief later changes their mind. Of course, this does mean an offender can try and say "I meant to borrow it, and always intended to return it". This defence has been used for the taking of cars (which is why the offence of TWOC was created), but for shop goods I doubt it would introduce sufficient doubt to provide a defence for theft, only mitigation.

 

So, from an academic point of view, it would still be theft even if the goods were later returned, if (as seems likely) they can show the (dishonest) intent at the time the rights of the owner were appropriated was to permanently deprive.

 

However, from a practical / real world point of view, returning the goods may make the store less likely to follow it up, the police less likely to follow it up, or the CPS less likely to feel that any action remains in the public interest.

[Lauren31]

So will the police come after me at my home??

 

police wont be involved

 

doesn't work like that.

 

just hand them back and forget about it.

 

dx

 

 

Why doesn't it work like that? I don't understand how it all works I will be handing the things back tomorrow, I feel so awful

 

Just hand items you 'found in your bag when you got home, back to the Store Manager.

I doubt he will take any further action against you.

 

What is approx. total cost of items you half-inched?

 

 

Ell-en, unless items are returned to store asap, it would still be theft, - intent to to perm deprive the owner.

 

 

Around £50 :( I'm so scared and paranoid, every car I hear I think it's going to be a knock at the door :,( serves me right I shouldn't have done it. I will take the bits back tomorrow.

[BazzaS]

It would still be theft even if now returned. It is the intent at the time that is considered, not if the thief later changes their mind. Of course, this does mean an offender can try and say "I meant to borrow it, and always intended to return it". This defence has been used for the taking of cars (which is why the offence of TWOC was created), but for shop goods I doubt it would introduce sufficient doubt to provide a defence for theft, only mitigation.

 

So, from an academic point of view, it would still be theft even if the goods were later returned, if (as seems likely) they can show the (dishonest) intent at the time the rights of the owner were appropriated was to permanently deprive.

 

However, from a practical / real world point of view, returning the goods may make the store less likely to follow it up, the police less likely to follow it up, or the CPS less likely to feel that any action remains in the public interest.

 

So will the police come after me at my home??

 

Unlikely.

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

what is done is done. No coming back from it but you have realised how wrong you were. By all means take them back but if you hand them over to security, you will have to lie and that is also not a good thing. If this was me, I would state that I found the bag outside the store and hand it over. No note, no explanation, nothing and hope the store accept that rather than going through any CCTV they have from outside the store.

 

As security was not involved at the outset, the police would not get involved and the fact that shoplifting is now classed as 'low level crime' so for any theft below £100, they tend not to get involved.

 

What you must address is the reasons you decided to steal. Have you a close friend you can confide in? Your GP is also a good choice? Addressing the reasons will help with your stress levels and assist in not being tempted to do it again.

 

Another option is to send an anonymous letter to Sainsbury's head office and enclose a cheque or postal order to the value of what you stole.

[blueda]

Hi lauren, I agree with silver, you could post the goods back and simply print sorry. The good thing is you feel you have done wrong, No one has been hurt, you may wish to confide with a professional . Whatever you do, Move on with your life and put this behind you.

Please let us know how you get on.

[mch1991]

As someone said above, it would still be classed as "theft", you appropriate property from another with the intention to permanently deprive them of it, I believe the "loss" aspect and returning them are irrelevant as far as the classification of theft goes under the Theft Act 1968.

 

Section 176 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 changed how low value shop theft was dealt with, I'd presume by returning the items it'd just be dealt with at a store level, however it would probably depend upon what you actually stole.

 

It's good that you feel bad for doing what you did, maybe you need to address the underlying cause of this behaviour.

[dx100uk]

Sainsbury's don't prosecute on minor shop lifting.

 

just give the stuff back and forget about it.

 

dx