Worried about incident in supermarket!

[missladybird]

Today I popped in the supermarket for cat food on my way back from a kids party. Went to the self service check out and paid but it was declined because I had the wrong bank card on me with zero balance. I tried cancelling the shopping but it needed authorisation from staff but they were really busy and were taking forever to come and swipe it off. Dd was restless and tired so I just left the shop but when I got home realised I'd put a pack of pampers under the pushchair and completely forgot. So now I'm worried the store are going to think I purposely left the store without paying.

What do I do? If i go back to the store will they call the police for shoplifting?

If anyone from the store saw it happen, they would have stopped you on the way out. So it's just your conscience you have to worry about.

When my mother was staying with us she picked up what she thought was a free local newspaper at the door of Tesco. When she realised, she took it back next day, explained the situation and paid, they were nice about it. Try not to worry.

LazyLump (ex store detective here) No, it's classed as theft as soon as you leave the store without paying. But....real thieves don't come back to pay so there's nothing to worry about OP, this happens a lot. No need to phone, just return and explain and it will be fine, I promise.

LazyLump (ex store detective here) No, it's classed as theft as soon as you leave the store without paying. ... presumably because the leaving the store is interpreted as indicating an intention to permanently deprive.

But there wasn’t an intention - so it wasn’t theft
However as soon as she realised she hadn’t paid it is theft and must be corrected by going back and paying

Theft is dishonestly appropriating property belonging to another with an intention to permanently deprive (notwithstanding a willingness to pay)
This is an honest mistake. As long as you either pay for it or take it back you will be fine. You’re not the first to do this and won’t be the last. No one is going to bang on your door. X

Seriously don’t worry about them calling the police when you go back either. I can tell you now if they call police saying ‘someone’s brought back something they forgot was in their buggy’ no one will be turning up! X

As long as you either pay for it or take it back you will be fine

Even if you don't do those things...what do you think will happen?!

If she doesn’t she’s assuming the rights of the owner and that is theft. Whether or not she gets caught is a different matter but morally and legally it’s not right