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Original poster

I didnt scan something and freaking out!

131 replies

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 19:53

Me , my husband and children went away for a weekend. I went into a retail shop, looked around with my daughter. I had a bit of a migraine had my sunnys on. I pickrd up some bits. I put alot of things on klarna as its intrest free. Anyway realised at the self check out that wasnt an option. My daughter was moaning , my husband was ringing me saying hurry up. So i was stressing!!! The lady that worked of the check out was lovely i askrd her a question because an item said it was cheaper but she was there when i scanned it incase it wasnt so she could take it off. When i finished i then was about to scan a bag and a different lady came over and said have u already scanned the bag i said no im about to. She said oo let me check something this till has been playing up. So she done something a got some sort of receipt. I scanner the back paid for it, put the other items back because they didnt have klarna so i thought not gonna get them all. Anyway as i was leaving i was just looking at the receipt thinking wha did she get out of my self scanner one ? I got in the car put my daughter in. And then off we went had my drink and something to eat then look in my bag. I bagged 3 items i didnt scan 😩😩 i am nowhaving a major anxiety attack thinking omg didnthe lady thought i stole???! Omg did they call the police ? Im i gonna be arrested ??? I have never stole in my life!! I called customer service & explained said can i pay over the phone. and they said take it back to a store near me. I have 3 major appointments( health related) this week so i cant make it this week. What should i do? Im freaking out. Has this ever happened to anyone and had police at there door for an honest mistake :( i feel sick to my stomach! My didnt someone stop me 😭😭😭

OP posts:
Megapint · 09/02/2026 20:56

If you were going to get arrested for shoplifting it would happen there and then. The police aren't going to track you down and show up a week later. Just let it go and be more careful in the future.

cannynotsay · 09/02/2026 20:57

I work in retail, no one cares it’s fine. The rfid probs wasn’t working. You’re not a regular robber. It happens all the time, this is what happens when we rely on technology and not humans.

ilovepixie · 09/02/2026 20:57

Seawolves · 09/02/2026 20:01

No-one has had the police at their door for this. Ever. Nothing is going to happen to you, you are not going to be arrested and you are not going to end up in court.

They actually have. They didn’t scan something, or scanned and walked away and the police were called. They were traced by their car reg.

Kizmet1 · 09/02/2026 20:58

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 20:53

@Kizmet1 i am a very anxious person, if something is wrong i stress until i fix it. For me , this hasnt happened before. Last night i was shaking so much my skin was burning had another migraine. Its just horrific, think having a newborn also makes me feel more stressed. X

This is why I say: be kind to yourself.
You're fixing it. You've called, you've made your good intentions clear.
The customer service rep accepted your truth and told you how to fix it and no one else (police or otherwise) is going to come after you about £42.
Congratulations on your newborn! I hope you're both well and that you are managing to get sleep as and when you can, and that you're being shown love and grace from friends and family.
Please don't worry about this accident.
Have you told your partner how upset you are? I hope he is being reassuring.
Think of the Kim Kardashian meme: "There are people dying, Kim!"
This doesn't have to be a big thing, and I'm sure it won't happen again.

ilovepixie · 09/02/2026 20:59

Megapint · 09/02/2026 20:56

If you were going to get arrested for shoplifting it would happen there and then. The police aren't going to track you down and show up a week later. Just let it go and be more careful in the future.

They actually do. They trace you through your car reg, or if they recognise you. The police will either go to your house, or send a letter if it’s first offence.

JPNeed · 09/02/2026 20:59

I done similar (without the panicking though 😁) and phoned then taken it back. It wasn’t a problem.

rockingroller · 09/02/2026 21:01

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 20:05

@Seawolves im worried sick, i havent slept ! But how does this actually happen to people? Surely if they checked they would see it wasnt done on purpose at all. My partner went into a golf store which i really didnt wanna be in so he dropped us off. Wish i just went with him now :( if the police would come to my door would it be fast? Or if i return them next week ill beok? X

Nobody has accused you OP. You are accusing yourself. Take the 3 items back when you have time or ask DH to do it for you. Nothing else will happen because you did nothing wrong.

Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:05

@ilovepixie i cant imagine the just leave people go. Thats why i was worrying if i dont get to do it this week will the come knocking on my door. Was it pretty quick the come? Im gonna make it a priority to try and get there this week. If not i may ring customer service and tell them it will be another week so atleast its logged.

OP posts:
Itsjustafly · 09/02/2026 21:05

I once 'stole' my entire week's shopping from Tesco. Did the scan and shop, the assistant came to take a security tag off something and for some reason in my head that was the transaction done and I wandered out of the shop. It was only as I drove to pick my kids up that I started to think 'did I pay for that??'. I hadn't, and I called Tesco and they just told me to come in the next time I was passing and pay for it. I went back the next morning and they'd deleted the transaction so we had to take a guess at how much my shopping should have been and I paid that. They couldn't have been less bothered.

Megapint · 09/02/2026 21:06

@ilovepixie- I find it hard to believe that is happening on a regular basis.

ImFinePMSL · 09/02/2026 21:06

Your honesty is admirable.

However, you really need to get your anxiety under control. This isn’t a healthy way to live. Please don’t exhibit stress and panicking infront of your children.

Arlanymor · 09/02/2026 21:06

Dollymylove · 09/02/2026 20:50

Don't worry about it. Call.it a little win and move on

It’s called stealing if you don’t do anything about it. Sorry that no one who brought you up filled you in on that point.

Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:06

@cannynotsay i did think why did the weight thing not go off? X

OP posts:
Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:08

@rockingroller i am because im so annoyed at myself for this happening. Just a very anxious person to which this definitely doesnt help with. :( x

OP posts:
ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 09/02/2026 21:09

I don’t quite understand what you are saying - but if a store has concerns around you not paying they will stop you before you leave the premises. Either return the items to the shop or forget it.

Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:10

@ImFinePMSL i know i always stress about everything in life. People always say im going to give myself a heartattack! I try not to but in the car i got upset infront of my husband, he said whats wrong with you. It makes me feel like something is wrong for feeling soooo stressed over something that people wouldnt get so stressed over you know x

OP posts:
RawBloomers · 09/02/2026 21:11

I forgot to pay for milk from my local supermarket several times when the kids were small, put it in the buggy hood as had too much in the basket and fit nicely (which is why it was always milk), then forgot when at the checkout as sleep deprived, dealing with upset babies, etc. it just slipped my mind. I just always mentioned it the next time and paid for it then. After about the third time I stopped putting it in the buggy hood as realised I clearly wasn't capable enough to do it!

It wasn't theft as no intention to steal it. It was a mistake that I put right.

Your response to this situation is far more worrying than the situation itself. Do you generally love drama or find yourself constantly in the midst of it? Or have anxiety or something? I think you should consider why it's affected you the way it has. It doesn't bode well for your DC if you can't react reasonably to a minor mistake.

ImFinePMSL · 09/02/2026 21:12

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:10

@ImFinePMSL i know i always stress about everything in life. People always say im going to give myself a heartattack! I try not to but in the car i got upset infront of my husband, he said whats wrong with you. It makes me feel like something is wrong for feeling soooo stressed over something that people wouldnt get so stressed over you know x

You need to make an appointment with your GP to discuss your anxieties.

Have you ever had therapy/counselling or taken medication for your anxiety?

You cannot continue to live like this. It’s unhealthy.

RawBloomers · 09/02/2026 21:12

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:10

@ImFinePMSL i know i always stress about everything in life. People always say im going to give myself a heartattack! I try not to but in the car i got upset infront of my husband, he said whats wrong with you. It makes me feel like something is wrong for feeling soooo stressed over something that people wouldnt get so stressed over you know x

Something is wrong. Go and see your GP. Life shouldn't be this hard.

BlackCat14 · 09/02/2026 21:12

Calm down. The police won’t be interested. The shop don’t even care, lets be honest.
If you’re that stressed though I don’t really understand what’s stopping you going back ASAP? You say you’ve got appointments in three days this week. How long are the appointments? I’m sure you could find the time if you’re THIS bothered.

I was once in Sainsbury’s and I just picked up a couple of bits and put them in a basket. I got a really large gift bag and put it under my arm as I was shopping as it didn’t fit in the basket. Forgot all about it at self checkout, it stayed firmly under my arm the whole time, and I walked out with it without even realising. No police came.

Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:12

@ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy thank you! I will deffo be going back to pay for them. X

OP posts:
SemperIdem · 09/02/2026 21:14

You need to calm down. The police force doesn’t have the numbers to fart arse around chasing down people via reg numbers etc, except in the case of petrol theft in which case they give it a good go.

Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:16

@ImFinePMSL i went back to the drs after i had my baby as it got worse again. Ive been put on tablets, second week of taken them and havent seen an improvement yet. I have a 4 week check up x

OP posts:
Original poster
Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:17

@RawBloomers i did 2 weeks ago? Having a newborn also makes born baby has definitely made my anxiety worse.

OP posts:
ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 09/02/2026 21:19

Starrrz · 09/02/2026 21:05

@ilovepixie i cant imagine the just leave people go. Thats why i was worrying if i dont get to do it this week will the come knocking on my door. Was it pretty quick the come? Im gonna make it a priority to try and get there this week. If not i may ring customer service and tell them it will be another week so atleast its logged.

The people who work in the store really couldn’t care less whether you keep the items or not. If you return them because of your conscience, then fine. But nobody who works in the shop is going to report you to the police and there is nowhere for them to log your phone calls. They won’t have systems in place for that.

There are people who blatantly shoplift - as in walking out with a trolley load in full view of people but unless a shop employs someone as security then the till assistants on MW are not going to put themselves at risk attempting to apprehend them.