Advice please. DS has broken a shop window!!

TAG

Thank you for all your replies, advice and opinions. Haven't sorted anything out yet, though DS applied for a couple of jobs yesterday. Will update you when I have more news.

Primrose

Do you have House Contents insurance cover? If so, check the terms of your policy. You may have Third Party cover which could cover you for accidental damage caused by anybody in your household. It's worth ringing up your insurance company and checking with them.

mishmash

HI Oh bless your son sounds lovely you have done a great job.

I am no leagle eagle but I did a bit of research recently on the subject of Lawful detention. My 13 year old was held by store detectives in an interview room in tesco for opening a multipack of chewing gums and paying for a pack. He was crying his eyes out and they said it was shoplifting and banned him from the store and made me pay for the mutipack. While I agree he should not have opened the pack they acted very harshly. I wrote to mr T, had a meeting with a very nice store manager, my son got an apology and a £50 gift card as a gesture of good will.

My understanding is that accidental damage to a shop window is just that and not a criminal offence, there was no intent. That is why the police told your son to go home and tell his mother. However as the shopowner had no reason to suspect your son had committed a crime that in an adult court could carry 5 years or more in prison, he can not legally detail anyone. This is unlawful arrest and possibly abduction as your son is a minor.

The matter is clearly a civil one, I would speak to the shop offer to pay in reasonable payments that you can afford, state again that your son is sorry for the accidental damage he caused and tell him of your sons commitment to paying off this money. Be polite but firm, you cannot pay what you have not got and I doubt he would get a better deal than that in a court.

I note you say what a bad week but on the bright side you clearly have a very mature young man who must make you very proud, though given his skills with a ball may not be in an England line up any time soon.;)

Hope all goes well.

Mish

inmypocketnottheirs

I think it is relevant to point out that your son will only be responsible for replacing like for like. Therefore if the original window was not toughened, then the shop keeper is not entitled to any betterment, i.e. to replace with exactly the same specification of glass.

Several posters have mentioned about being covered by household insurance. Has this been investigated yet?

Paparika

TAG wrote: »

Just wanted some opinions on this or what you would do's ,

My DS who's 15 has today broken a shop window. It was an accident, threw a ball to his mate, mate didn't catch it and it cracked the shop window.

Now he has admitted what happened. The shop owner wouldn't let him leave the shop until the police turned up which took 2 and a half hours. Police took his details and basically said go home tell your parents what has happened and make sure they ring the shop owner by 6.00pm. Which we did.

Now the long and the short of it is that the shop owner wants us to pay the £250 excess on his insurance claim, which is fair enough. But neither of us has the money to pay it. DS has said he will get a job to pay for the damage or work off in someway.

I have to go down there tomorrow and explain this, with DS in tow, and I know the shop owner will not be happy. Basically if we don't pay he will get the police to follow it up is pretty much what has been said.

So advice/opinions please

So what did the shop owner say when you went back?

I assume it was a small shop, not a big chain?

To make sure your paying for the right glass etc, how about getting 3 quotes just to see what it really will cost you.

toofy

In response to Merlot, how many 15 yr olds carry ID, apart from false ones to get them into pubs? I have worked in shops and on many occasions when juveniles have been caught shoplifting etc, they have quite often given false names/ telephone numbers for older friends instead of their parents details; how was the shopkeeper to know that the police would take so long? The OP'S son just happened to be an honest and decent young lad who had the misfortune to cause an accident, however the shopkeeper shouldn't be berated for wanting someone to take responsibility for his actions.

mishmash

toofy wrote: »

In response to Merlot, how many 15 yr olds carry ID, apart from false ones to get them into pubs? I have worked in shops and on many occasions when juveniles have been caught shoplifting etc, they have quite often given false names/ telephone numbers for older friends instead of their parents details; how was the shopkeeper to know that the police would take so long? The OP'S son just happened to be an honest and decent young lad who had the misfortune to cause an accident, however the shopkeeper shouldn't be berated for wanting someone to take responsibility for his actions.

You must meet the small number of 'jueveniles' who behave badly. Infact all my teenagers and most of their friends carry ID generally. They have their school ID, a badge with a picture their name and a pin; it is the system they use to pay for their dinner and access the library and things very hi tec. They have their gym membership passes as they are generally involved in constuctive activities and not terrorising communities oh and they have an under 16's bus pass. They often meet bus drivers who (even when they are in school uniform) question their age, refuse to allow them on the bus, charge them adult price and are often down right rude and abusive.

I know a small minority of teens behave badly, as do a small minority of adults but that is no excuse to tar them all with the same brush. The OP's son accidentally damaged a window, accepted that he had done this and has taken responsibility and intends to work to pay this off. It would have taken any person with an ounce of common sense 5 minutes with a child like this to realise that he was of good character. The man in the shop behaved appallingly keeping a child who had committed no crime for 2 hours. He could have contacted the parents and asked them to attend the shop.

newcook

I always thought you had to be 18 to enter a tattoo shop… fair play to your son for owning up - its very grown up of him and as others have said shows you have brought him up well.

Unfortunately I have no advice to offer but but thought I would comment on the maturity of your lad.

duals

inmypocketnottheirs wrote: »

I think it is relevant to point out that your son will only be responsible for replacing like for like. Therefore if the original window was not toughened, then the shop keeper is not entitled to any betterment, i.e. to replace with exactly the same specification of glass.

Several posters have mentioned about being covered by household insurance. Has this been investigated yet?

Totally agree about the quality of the original glass, why should your son pay for improving the shop window? I would estimate the size of glass required and 'phone local glaziers for quotes using various types of glass. You can get a pretty large double glazed window fitted for 250.00 so try those companies for quotes as well. It may work out cheaper if you can get the shopkeeper to share the cost so that his insurance policy doesn't increase as a result of a claim. He may have calmed down by now, and be quite reasonable. Be proud of your honest son.

Edinburghlass_2

Sorry but the OP is not being asked to pay for the window but the excess on the shop owners insurance policy for replacing the window which will be the same no matter what glass goes in.

One assumes that the window has already been replaced, a boarded up shop window does nothing for encouraging business and you certainly can't expect the shop keeper not to get this replaced straight away.