The Student Room Group

shoplifted and got caught but left the shop

I shoplifted for the first time - really bad I know.
I managed to leave the shop but got caught on CCTV and they told my friend they’ve “contacted people” and have me on CCTV.
What are the chances of them identifying and prosecuting me? My records are clear.
I’m never doing it again so please don’t lecture me, I’m more worried about getting arrested.

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Original post by daisymae123
I shoplifted for the first time - really bad I know.
I managed to leave the shop but got caught on CCTV and they told my friend they’ve “contacted people” and have me on CCTV.
What are the chances of them identifying and prosecuting me? My records are clear.
I’m never doing it again so please don’t lecture me, I’m more worried about getting arrested.

You taking the owness and being honest about your mistake is most important which you did. Shoplifting depends what you took away to be honest and depends on severity but as it’s an offence you will definitely be identified and someone of the public will eventually have to owe up even if that means giving a reward to the person that tracks and traces you. Out of curiosity what’s your age. If your a youth probably at best a detention maybe a fine if your an adult then your in trouble and expect to bring the 💷
Reply 2
Original post by Anonymous
You taking the owness and being honest about your mistake is most important which you did. Shoplifting depends what you took away to be honest and depends on severity but as it’s an offence you will definitely be identified and someone of the public will eventually have to owe up even if that means giving a reward to the person that tracks and traces you. Out of curiosity what’s your age. If your a youth probably at best a detention maybe a fine if your an adult then your in trouble and expect to bring the 💷

I’m 19 - I stole £50 worth of stuff but it was just two items. They only clocked because there were two coat hangers in the changing rooms but I feel like that’s not really evidence surely as people leave coat hangers in there all the time. All they have on the cctv is me entering and leaving the store - I’m not holding any items or anything.
It is likely to be a difficult case to make proving that a crime occurred and you were the one responsible.
Without any witnesses to the theft, no confession, you not being pictured on cctv leaving the premises with the stolen items visible and them being unable to locate any of the stolen items or prove that they were ever unlawfully in your home/possession.
If they do find you, you will probably be banned from all branches of the store regardless of whether they decide to prosecute.
I think it's difficult for them to arrest you unless they actually catch you in possession. If you've not had that knock on the door after about a week after the incident, you probably got away with it. If you're unlucky enough to get the rozzas calling you, make sure you have a solicitor present, and if you put your hands up, say how sorry you are and you'll never do it again etc. etc. chances are you'll get a caution (this means a police record, but not a criminal record)

However, even if they don't go to the police, chances are they'll share your image with the towns CCTV team, and so they'll be keeping a very close eye on you whenever you go into the town centre. And yes, it might be in your interests to avoid that store for the foreseeable future.
Reply 5
Original post by londonmyst
It is likely to be a difficult case to make proving that a crime occurred and you were the one responsible.
Without any witnesses to the theft, no confession, you not being pictured on cctv leaving the premises with the stolen items visible and them being unable to locate any of the stolen items or prove that they were ever unlawfully in your home/possession.
If they do find you, you will probably be banned from all branches of the store regardless of whether they decide to prosecute.

How likely is it that they will identify me? I didn’t look at any cameras or anything and I had loads of shopping bags with me. It’s all to do with two coat hangers that were in the changing rooms. I’m not on police records or anything.
Reply 6
You need to learn from this. Don't ever do anything like that again.
Reply 7
I won’t. Never ever again. Worst mistake I’ve ever made.
Original post by daisymae123
How likely is it that they will identify me? I didn’t look at any cameras or anything and I had loads of shopping bags with me. It’s all to do with two coat hangers that were in the changing rooms. I’m not on police records or anything.

It's a 50-50.
Never go back to that store and don't even think about shoplifting again.
Original post by daisymae123
How likely is it that they will identify me? I didn’t look at any cameras or anything and I had loads of shopping bags with me. It’s all to do with two coat hangers that were in the changing rooms. I’m not on police records or anything.

As I said in my previous post, they may share your image with the towns CCTV team... Even if you didn't look at the store camera, they can still match you from other cameras in the town by your clothes bags etc. and they may pick up your face from there.
Original post by daisymae123
I’m 19 - I stole £50 worth of stuff but it was just two items. They only clocked because there were two coat hangers in the changing rooms but I feel like that’s not really evidence surely as people leave coat hangers in there all the time. All they have on the cctv is me entering and leaving the store - I’m not holding any items or anything.

Most likely for you if in the case you get caught a detention, doubt any community service. Probably will be permanently banned from the store. Okay but at the time when you enter and left the store did the security flash light thing they had buzz or ring off? Did security or a store member try to stop you?
Could be considered a conviction as it’s an offence.
Original post by Old Skool Freak
As I said in my previous post, they may share your image with the towns CCTV team... Even if you didn't look at the store camera, they can still match you from other cameras in the town by your clothes bags etc. and they may pick up your face from there.

Yeah they can do that but they don’t know who I am
Original post by Anonymous
Could be considered a conviction as it’s an offence.

I think it's unlikely to reach court if it's a first offence, and he / she puts her hands up at the first opportunity.

It's whether it's "in the public interest" to prosecute.
Original post by Anonymous
Most likely for you if in the case you get caught a detention, doubt any community service. Probably will be permanently banned from the store. Okay but at the time when you enter and left the store did the security flash light thing they had buzz or ring off? Did security or a store member try to stop you?

Nothing flashed or buzzed. Nobody tried to stop me but I peeked round the corner (wasn’t spotted) and a woman that worked there was out of the shop on the phone and looking round.
Original post by Old Skool Freak
I think it's unlikely to reach court if it's a first offence, and he / she puts her hands up at the first opportunity.

It's whether it's "in the public interest" to prosecute.

True.
Original post by Old Skool Freak
I think it's unlikely to reach court if it's a first offence, and he / she puts her hands up at the first opportunity.

It's whether it's "in the public interest" to prosecute.

I just don’t see how they would identify me. I wasn’t stopped or anything I literally just left. One of my friends was in there and they said they had “reason to believe” I’d stolen and just asked her to get me to go back.
Original post by daisymae123
Nothing flashed or buzzed. Nobody tried to stop me but I peeked round the corner (wasn’t spotted) and a woman that worked there was out of the shop on the phone and looking round.

Having worked in retail and a bit of security myself because I stopped a thief from escaping with alcohol who tried to shoplift erm they probably at best must have contacted security to review CCTV Footage. Depends how clear the footage looks for you to be identified though you acknowledged your mistake though why do that in the first place champ… don’t do it again
Take into consideration witnesses who’ll be encourage to volunteer to write a report or maybe a description of the incident.
Original post by daisymae123
Yeah they can do that but they don’t know who I am

Depends on the stores policy for prosecuting shoplifters. If they really wanted to, they could track you to your residential area... although I doubt they'd go to that much trouble for a one-off shoplifter.

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