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Original poster

I accidentally shoplifted - advice needed

371 replies

iamsodumb · 12/03/2021 15:33

NC as this will be outing.

I work in the NHS and there is a shop on the premises which I go to near enough every day Monday-Friday. Today at about 11am I went and bought (?!) my usual packet of crisps and can of Coke. I used the self scanner as I always do and walked out.

This afternoon I got a call from my supervisor saying the big boss wanted to speak to me. When I went to her office she said I hadn't paid for my items and the shop have me on cctv not paying. I was absolutely mortified and checked my online banking and sure enough there's no charge from the shop today so I don't dispute I have done it. I don't know if I've tapped my card and it's not gone through or if I've absent mindedly scanned the items then walked off with them. I genuinely haven't got a clue. She said the shop wanted to escalate it to head office but advised me to go and speak to them myself.

I went to the shop and apologised and offered to pay but the manager had gone home. The shop assistant phoned her manager and he said I was not to pay but was to come and speak to him on Monday?! So instead of this being resolved on the day I have to worry about it over the weekend.

I'm not particularly worried about police involvement etc, I know I didn't mean to do it and have never stolen in my life so can't imagine it would go anywhere. However, I am concerned about work. Could this impact my job?! I asked my own supervisor and she said she doesn't think so but couldn't say for sure. I'm so worried! I can't believe all of this drama for less than £3 which I have offered to pay!!

If anyone has any knowledge I would appreciate any insight you have on what I can expect the outcome of this to be.

OP posts:
Skyliner001 · 12/03/2021 16:28

@GloGirl

Do you go there every day? Can you get a print out of your other payments from online banking?

Just to show it was a lapse. Obviously wont work if your payments are sporadic or if you ocassionally pay in cash.

Never explain, never apologise OP, just offered to pay, and style it out.
Holidaybookinghell · 12/03/2021 16:29

Can you imagine the face of the police if they decided to take this further.

Woman uses the same shop every day, forgets to or accidentally doesn’t pay for items under £3 on one occasion, immediately returns and offers to pay.

I’d let them do it just for a laugh.

trevthecat · 12/03/2021 16:30

This is absolutely ridiculous! I can't understand why they have created such an enormous drama out of a mistake. Personally I would tally up how much is spent in the shop over the years. I'd apologize and pay and if they get arsey I'd probably get cross and tell them how much is spent. I'd never shop there again. I'm so angry for you

SheldonesqueIsUnwell · 12/03/2021 16:31

Yup. I’d be the same trevthecat

blibbka · 12/03/2021 16:34

What an absolutely ridiculous over-reaction. To be honest I feel like the shop almost owe you an apology themselves.

Ariela · 12/03/2021 16:34

I think you just need to insist the card payment obviously didn't go through. Our local village shop has dodgy phone signal and I've been caught out like you - but worse as there's an assistant poor girl thought it had gone through and let me leave. I just paid when I was told about it the next time I was in.
When you go in I'd just say 'I've come to pay as I didn't realise the payment hadn't gone through properly' As opposed to 'I've shoplifted'

dottiedaisee · 12/03/2021 16:38

Honestly really don’t worry about it 💕💕

Original poster
iamsodumb · 12/03/2021 16:38

@trevthecat I always pay by card so I've just tallied up what I've spent in the last month and it's just over £50!! Which has knocked me sick if I'm honest. They've really done me a favour as that's a big saving!

OP posts:
MrsIsobelCrawley · 12/03/2021 16:38

The shop contacted your manager and now won't allow you to pay today. You now need to contact the shop manager on Monday.

With all due respect, this isn't exactly the Great Train Robbery. It seems quite a kerfuffle over a can of coke and a bag of crisps.

Roszie · 12/03/2021 16:42

You'll be absolutely fine I'm sure but you'd be shocked by how much shoplifting goes on at the self service scanners.

Whatflavourjellybabyisnice · 12/03/2021 16:42

Do not beat yourself up, you made an honest mistake that a huge amount of people make.
Don't forget what happens when someone's emotions come into play: could be a person's sad power trip.
I hope it gets resolved for you soon because I'd feel very anxious about it.

Skyliner001 · 12/03/2021 16:42

To be honest, having just read your original post I wouldn't even entertain it. If you're working over the weekend I would just go in and pay, he's not your headteacher.

sonjadog · 12/03/2021 16:43

Don't worry about it. The manager might want to talk to you just to see who you are but when you apologize I doubt they will want to do anything more. I once forgot to pay for petrol (it was very early morning and I was tired!) and drove off. They tracked down the school where I worked, phoned the office and the person who worked there came to my classroom and took me outside. I was quite stressed and hugely embarrassed about it all, but they accepted my apology and I have been there many, many times since without any problems.

MirandaMarple · 12/03/2021 16:50

You went back to pay and they refused payment and the manager said he/she would talk to you on Monday? Apart from 'that's £3 please' what what else are they going to say?

Don't let it ruin your weekend. This is a massive overreaction.

MirandaMarple · 12/03/2021 16:51

@blibbka

What an absolutely ridiculous over-reaction. To be honest I feel like the shop almost owe you an apology themselves.
Yes they do!
Branleuse · 12/03/2021 16:51

If you use the shop every day and they know you, then it will be fine. You just go in and you say that you dont know how it happened, as you thought you paid and this all feels a bit bizarre and awkward now, then you give them the money for the products and hopefully then everyone forgets about it. Youre not a hardened criminal. Theyre not going to throw the book at you

applestrudels · 12/03/2021 16:52

No advice but I just want to say it is ridiculous that they are making such a fuss!!

I'm sure that once you see the manager in person on Monday and explain, he/she will see that it was a genuine mistake and let it go. Please don't let it spoil your weekend!

RestingPandaFace · 12/03/2021 16:52

If it was a chain shop like M&S food (I say that because it’s what is in our hospital) I would ring customer services and say that you are really sorry about the mistake but that is exactly what it was and that you are unhappy about how it has been handled.

islockdownoveryet · 12/03/2021 16:55

. She said the shop wanted to escalate it to head office but advised me to go and speak to them myself.
I went to the shop and apologised and offered to pay but the manager had gone home. The shop assistant phoned her manager and he said I was not to pay but was to come and speak to him on Monday?

This I find shocking op they want to escalate it why ? so they weren’t the ones who said come in it was your manager?
Honestly all sounds very far fetched for £3 why the hell won’t he let you pay ?

caringcarer · 12/03/2021 16:57

Ask to see the footage. Tell them you go in every day and simply forgot.

LifesLittleDeciders · 12/03/2021 16:59

I accidentally walked out of boots with a Christmas babygrow attached to my pram- I didn’t actually notice until putting all the shopping I’m the car, it was reduced to £2.50 and DD was fed up and crying so I didn’t take it back.

It absolutely haunts me every time I think about Blush

Original poster
iamsodumb · 12/03/2021 17:00

@islockdownoveryet my boss mentioned the shop wanted to escalate it to head office and she advised me to go and have a word with them myself as she could tell from speaking to me it had been a mistake. When I went down to the shop the shop assistant phoned her manager and he told her not to take payment from me and told her to tell me to come and speak to him on Monday. Hope that makes sense!

OP posts:
WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 12/03/2021 17:00

Please tell me that after having read all the posts, you're not going to waste another minute of your weekend worrying about this

Yes they had to deal with it, but there were a hundred better ways to have done it.

Your bank & your body will thank them! Smile

DahliaMacNamara · 12/03/2021 17:01

How shitty to leave you hanging all weekend with this on your mind. It's not that unusual for those card machines to randomly decline cards after you think you've paid. If there's anything to 'investigate', all they will find is an honest mistake.

Hidinginstaircupboard · 12/03/2021 17:05

Firstly relax and take a few deep breaths. It was an accident. You can ask to watch cctv and say you always pay and thought you had and have offered to pay as you thought you had but are mortified you hadn't for whatever reason. They will be able to show you what happened

Secondly , I once left my local garage having gone into pay after putting petrol in and they only charged me for my purchases from shop. I work for nhs and it could have fine awfully, but they accepted it was a mistake and told me about it when I next went in knowing I was a regular for petrol and were brilliant as I paid straight away with a very red face!! Mistakes happen when you are busy overworked that you can be absent minded on occasion

You clearly weren't hiding your identity (no hoodie or sneakiness!) I'm sure it will all get resolved!!

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