Garda caution

Wizardtower

Please help
I was caught for shoplifting of which I am extremely embarrassed and wish to god I could turn back time and not be so dozy.(I didn’t intend to shoplift).I brought Goods to be returned and exchange for something else,then did a big food shop for my family...being stupid I walked out to put groceries in car and forgot about exchange!
Hauled back in and Garda called.
I’ve never been in trouble before and I’m nearly 50....I’m so upset and devastated.I haven’t told my family as they would be so angry at my stupidity.
Anyway was told I’d get a caution,went to station to fill in forms and Garda said inspector may not give this as the amount was so large(490 Euro...I brought back 280 and intended paying difference)
But inspector will only see 490 as they didn’t note my exchange products.
What do you think are my chances of caution....I know I couldn’t handle a court...I’m sick with worry!
Please advise

skooterblue2

Contact a solicitor, did you show "an intention to pay"?
Were you arrested by a security guard?
Should never have gotten this far!!!!
Completely badly handled by the store security guard.

Wizardtower

skooterblue2 wrote: »

Contact a solicitor, did you show "an intention to pay"?
Were you arrested by a security guard?
Should never have gotten this far!!!!
Completely badly handled by the store security guard.

I put the items I wanted in a basket while carrying around my returns.I then went downstairs to foodhall and got a trolley,transferred everything from basket into trolley and then started food shopping.
Paid for all my food with intention of going to customer services but stupidly walked out to put food in car which was parked beside door.
When taken back in I then offered to do exchange but security Gaurds said no then offered to pay but they just weren’t interested.
I’m a mess but I just gave up trying to explain to both Garda and security because I felt they had heard every excuse in the book and I was just another.
I told the Garda (who was very nice to me) I couldn’t handle court!
I would be s complete let down to my whole family...I don’t think I’d get through it.
I’m so sorry!

Rushden

Caution is good for up to €1000, you'll be grand

TomOnBoard

Have you a good friend that you can talk to? You need a buddy you can trust to support you and help you to not be driving yourself demented about this. When you feel able, go back to the Garda station with your friend, and ask what are the next steps. For your own sake, dont let it fester in your head.

PGE1970

A local solicitor will know the local Inspector. If you cant afford a solicitor, contact FLAC.

I'm a little confused by your returns. If they are returns, this means that you had already paid for them but was returning them because you changed your mind or they were faulty? If so, they are already paid for and are your property. You cannot steal your own property.

If you had already paid for the returns, you may have a record of those purchases either by way of a receipt or points on a clubcard etc?

If you don't have evidence of having originally bought your returns, that might not help.

troyzer

PGE1970 wrote: »

A local solicitor will know the local Inspector. If you cant afford a solicitor, contact FLAC.

I'm a little confused by your returns. If they are returns, this means that you had already paid for them but was returning them because you changed your mind or they were faulty? If so, they are already paid for and are your property. You cannot steal your own property.

If you had already paid for the returns, you may have a record of those purchases either by way of a receipt or points on a clubcard etc?

If you don't have evidence of having originally bought your returns, that might not help.

I think what the OP was saying is that they had both what they were exchanging and what they were exchanging for and left the shop with both.

PGE1970

troyzer wrote: »

I think what the OP was saying is that they had both what they were exchanging and what they were exchanging for and left the shop with both.

Thanks Troyzer.


If the OP has proof of the original purchase, that should be enough to reduce the overall "value" of the alleged theft.



If this is an innocent mistake, this seems very harsh and I would get a local solicitor to make contact on their behalf with the Gardai.

Wizardtower

Thanks to all who offered advice.To clarify a few things I was doing a big food shop as I’ve six kids.I packed my bags and put back in trolley,which, at this point was well full.
The Garda said it didn’t look good as it looked like I was trying to hide the goods under the food(he was only being honest)...but where else would I put them...the trolley is only so big and I had purchased over 200 Euro worth of food!
I did have my receipt for the returns as I usually buy clothes/uniforms for kids online (weren’t faulty just wrong size hence reason for exchange)
They didn’t ask about return value and I suppose I was in shock and didn’t emphasize it enough.
Problem with going to a Solicitors too early is that it’s a small community and my family know so many Solicitors in Dublin.
I was hoping to keep this from them and try and get through it.
I’m just hoping they will give me a caution.
I just want to say again thanks to anyone who replied no matter how small...It helped ...THANK YOU.

Tina82

can i ask what the items are that they say you've stolen ?

TheChizler

It's still not clear OP, maybe it would help if you could write down (for you, not for us) an itemised list of what you were returning, what you put in the trolley that you were planning on exchanging them for, and what the security are alleging you stole. Forget about the food shop. It's not clear if they're accusing you of stealing your own property or not.

PGE1970

Wizardtower wrote: »

I did have my receipt for the returns as I usually buy clothes/uniforms for kids online (weren’t faulty just wrong size hence reason for exchange)
They didn’t ask about return value and I suppose I was in shock and didn’t emphasize it enough.

The Garda reaction is ridiculous. If this is an honest mistake, as it appears to be, you need someone to explain that before it goes further.


Regardless of who knows who, my priority would be to protect my good name. I certainly wouldn't want an adult caution for theft recorded against me for an honest mistake.

Kristopherus

PGE1970 wrote: »

A local solicitor will know the local Inspector. If you cant afford a solicitor, contact FLAC.

I'm a little confused by your returns. If they are returns, this means that you had already paid for them but was returning them because you changed your mind or they were faulty? If so, they are already paid for and are your property. You cannot steal your own property.

If you had already paid for the returns, you may have a record of those purchases either by way of a receipt or points on a clubcard etc?

If you don't have evidence of having originally bought your returns, that might not help.

A solr will cost a couple of hundred euro.

tricky D

Mod note: as per boards rules, we can't give legal advice here bar getting yourself to a solicitor.

Thread closed.