Tesco Shoplifting - need help.

Stevie_Palimo

You should think yourself lucky they did not choose to prosecute you and I believe no matter what your ailments are there really is no excuse on offer to deter from the simple fact that you took items without paying for them, There are no if's, but's or maybe's theft is theft no matter how much you try and sugar coat it.

tomtontom

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

I don't have any medical conditions, but I've done this before.

When my eldest was a baby, I got back to the car after paying for my shopping and realised that I had a packet of chilli mix which I hadn't paid for. It was under the blanket on the trolley part of the pushchair.

Another time, I paid for a bunch of magazines but forgot to pick them up. I only realised when I got home. I didn't get them back either despite calling the store. And you wouldn't believe the number of times I've left my credit card in the machine after paying.

We all make mistakes. As one of my work colleagues says, "show me someone who's never made a mistake and I'll show you a liar."

But your mistake did not entail carrying items round in your hand, picking them up and putting them down several times, seemingly over the course of quite some time? There's a great difference between missing an item that has fallen under something, or forgetting to pick something up after you've paid. In fact the OP repeatedly remembered to pick up the magazines, just not to part with his money

DevilsAdvocate1

Nick_C wrote: »

What did you do about that?

I took it back in and paid for it. Did get a snooty comment from the cashier about how I could be charged for shoplifting. Didn't go in that store again for a long time.

whiteswan

Nick_C wrote: »

Legally, innocent until proven guilty (or admitting guilt). But I see your point. He might have been found guilty if it had gone to court. It would have depended on the evidence, including possible medical evidence.

Theft requires evidence to prove an intention to permanently deprive.

But of course any thief could say they walked out of the shop innocently forgetting to pay for the goods.

One of the things that sways me slightly against the OP is the altercation that he had with the security guard once he was off the shop floor; there is a suggestion that he told the guard to get back to the store.

One would expect an innocent person to be polite, contrite and apologetic, while maintaining their innocence; not confrontational. Its not as if this was a complete fabrication. OP did walk out of the shop without paying for the goods.

It's not the job of Tesco or the Police to decide the rights and wrongs of the case.

I think all the supermarkets have a policy of always trying to prosecute "shoplifters". Theft from shops happens on a large scale, and increases prices for honest consumers. The supermarket won't attempt to judge the case. If they have evidence that suggests theft, they will try to secure a prosecution, and rightly so.

The role of the Police is to gather evidence and, if they believe there is sufficient evidence to bring about a prosecution with a reasonable chance of conviction, then refer it to the CPS.

This has been an unfortunate experience for the OP, but I don't think he has any cause for redress or that Tesco have acted improperly.

I didn't tell anybody to do anything - it was merely a suggestion as a business owner myself I would be unhappy if 3 of my staff were stood around discussing films instead of working.

I pointed out that I could not "do a runner" if I wanted to (being poorly) - and as a further guarantee I "voluntarily" offered them my car keys - which is how they saw my club card tag !!

You go on to say "One would expect an innocent person to be polite, contrite and apologetic, while maintaining their innocence; not confrontational" - which I did at all points.

But of course you are very much entitled to your opinion and I fully expected a post on an open forum to bring both positive and negative comments - and they are all welcome............it helps to look at the "other side" sometimes.

Dave

Nick_C

I also walked out of a shop without paying for something a couple of months ago. I was shopping with a trolley and bought a number of oversized items. Large terracotta plantpots, garden torches, some oil for the torches, a telescopic mop and a telescopic window cleaning device.

At the checkout (actually the customer service desk), I took things out of the trolley and passed them to the assistant for her to scan before returning the items to the trolley.

I try and add things up in my head, and I was surprised that the total was a couple of pounds less than I expected it to be. I went to the car and only then looked at the receipt. At that point I realised I had not paid for the lamp oil. I unpacked the goods, put them in the car, and then returned to the store with the lamp oil and paid for it.

Luckily the assistant laughed about it and thanked me for my honesty, but I felt gutted, and I realised how easy it is to innocently take something without paying for it.

I am not on any medication. I am only in my 50s. But I do do some absent minded things sometimes. Just making an omelette this morning, I cracked an egg into a ramekin, and then put the egg instead of the shell into the food waste bin.

So I can see both sides of this. I can see that the OP may well be completely innocent as he did not intend to take the goods without paying for them. I can also see that he might have been found guilty if it had gone to court.

And my suggestion that he should consider shopping on line was meant in all seriousness, if there is a danger that this could happen again.

MacMickster

whiteswan wrote: »

I pointed out that I could not "do a runner" if I wanted to (being poorly) - and as a further guarantee I "voluntarily" offered them my car keys - which is how they saw my club card tag !!


Dave

Dave

I suspect that you weren't intentionally shoplifting (but don't know for certain) but am very concerned that you were leaving the store with the intention of driving home whilst feeling unwell and light-headed.

How did you eventually get home when it had become apparent to you how badly your medication had impaired your cognitive functions?

whiteswan

MacMickster wrote: »

Dave

I suspect that you weren't intentionally shoplifting (but don't know for certain) but am very concerned that you were leaving the store with the intention of driving home whilst feeling unwell and light-headed.

How did you eventually get home when it had become apparent to you how badly your medication had impaired your cognitive functions?

Again another fair comment - I had called my gf to come and collect me - in fact I had to delay her arrival at the store after what had transpired.............

Dave

Gidoloi

Azari wrote: »

I think you need to learn a little law.

To be guilty of theft (or attempted theft) you must have had an intent to permanently deprive the owner of their property.

Naturally, this site being what it is, the usual suspects are having a hate-fest at the expense of the OP.

I would just say that supermarkets are renowned for charging people higher prices than they display but this is always brushed off as a 'mistake'.

They get away with it countless times each day with no comeback, but let a shopper make a single mistake and the ignorant and foolish are convinced that said shopper had felonious intent.

Yes...I came to this forum thinking that it was going to be nice and cuddly with people offering advice, instead I find aggressive, dismissive trolls. I can (and do) go to more intentionally combative Forums than this If I want to have a fight....

missbiggles1

Azari wrote: »

I think you need to learn a little law.

To be guilty of theft (or attempted theft) you must have had an intent to permanently deprive the owner of their property.

Naturally, this site being what it is, the usual suspects are having a hate-fest at the expense of the OP.

I would just say that supermarkets are renowned for charging people higher prices than they display but this is always brushed off as a 'mistake'.

They get away with it countless times each day with no comeback, but let a shopper make a single mistake and the ignorant and foolish are convinced that said shopper had felonious intent.

But we're not in a court of law, we're using language in an everyday way.

(Unless, if you came home early and found your wife in bed with another person, you'd accept that she was innocent of adultery because it wasn't proven in law?;))

All the rest of your post is irrelevant to the subject under discussion.

vacationgirl

I think the OP needs to move on from this, he made a mistake which I'm sure he won't repeat in the future. I think his pride has been hurt because he didn't intend to shoplift, unlike some celebrities mentioned here:
http://www.theweek.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-antics/44184/worrall-thompson-not-only-star-sticky-fingers