Civil Recovery Fine from Sainsbury's solicitors - Advice needed urgently

spacey2012

This is an illegal penalty charge and can be ignored.

tinkerbell28

It is definitely a penalty charge....

However it depends on if he ignores it, whether or not they will persue prosecution, or his job.

I'd rather pay if I were him. £150 is nothing compared to the life effect of having theft recorded on your criminal record.

Pollycat

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

I also don't buy the excuse that 'Oops, I forgot that was in my basket' defence....who (other than a shoplifter/thief) doesn't check that their basket/trolley is empty when going through checkouts?

Actually, I and my OH are neither shoplifters or thieves but yesterday we did a big shop at Tesco and I had put a magazine in the trolley at the start of the shop.
At the check-out, OH unpacked the trolley then came round to help me pack.
We'd packed about half the stuff into the trolley when I noticed the corner of the magazine underneath the shopping in the trolley.

I couldn't remember putting it in the trolley after scanning so I passed it back to the check-out guy to see if it had been scanned or not.
It hadn't.
It was a mistake.
Neither me or OH had any intention of taking the magazine without paying for it.

However, in the situation described by the OP, as it was items in a basket, I do agree that it sounds 'fishy'.

Pollycat

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

I'd rather pay if I were him. £150 is nothing compared to the life effect of having theft recorded on your criminal record.

And £150 is nothing compared to not having a job.

spacey2012

Sainsburys are a supermarket, they are not a court of law and they also do not make decisions on who is charged with a crime, the CPS do.
We are not here to judge guilt, we have been asked a question in relation to a penalty charge made by a supermarket, the answer is it is an illegal penalty and failure to pay it will not change what the CPS does, that is separate.

dalesrider

somelondonchick wrote: »

My friend's son was recently accused of shoplifting in a Sainsbury's supermarket after forgetting to pay for some items in his basket. My friend's son can be quite absent-minded and has assured her that it was an oversight on his behalf. He is also a Sainsbury's employee so wouldn't be stupid enough to try to steal from one of his own stores.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Anyone else think that the best approach is to talk to his manager.....

End of the day they are lucky not to be sacked on the spot.

vuvuzela

dalesrider wrote: »

Anyone else think that the best approach is to talk to his manager.....

End of the day they are lucky not to be sacked on the spot.

*Very* lucky to still have a job.
I worked as a part-time staff member in a larger supermarket many years ago when studying, and we were always aware that stealing would lead to instant dismissal.

tinkerbell28

Pollycat wrote: »

And £150 is nothing compared to not having a job.

Indeed, theft is usually instant dismissal in retail, due to products and cash being part of the job...

So I am wondering if it was a different store and his store does not know....

Which would make me more inclined to just pay up. Yes the cps may not decide to prosecute. Doesn't stop Sainsbury's contacting the police, having it reported and op having to accept a fixed penalty notice, or caution from the police.

Which would then affect his job.

malchish

spacey2012 wrote: »

This is an illegal penalty charge and can be ignored.

absolutely right.
they are welcome to go to court. Right to them that you deny liability, and then stop responding to their threats.
getting sacked is another matter...

spacey2012

Blackmail is illegal, "pay our illegal fine or we will call the police"
Would love to see that before the Mags.