Hi, I've been reading a lot of threads here similar to mine so didn't know if there was any point in me posting but in the end thought it was best to because I don't know what to do.
Last month I did a really stupid thing and tried to shoplift groceries from Tesco. It was nearly £200 worth. I was caught, arrested, held in a cell overnight and the next day I was cautioned. I'd never done anything like that before and I'll never do it again, I don't know what I was thinking. I just want to forget about it because I'm ashamed it ever happened but about a week afterwards I got a letter from RLP saying I owe Tesco £197.50. I don't have that kind of money so at the time I was terrified but since then I discovered CAG and after reading up on RLP I've decided to ignore the letter, and any more letters they decide to send.
Only thing is, today I got an e-mail from a solicitor company called Buchanan Clark and Wells saying they've been trying to contact me and I need to speak to them urgently. They've given me a reference number to quote but I'm scared of what they're going to say. If I do phone them I'll have to do it outside as I'm 19 and still live at home so I'm trying to hide all this from my Mum and her partner. I know it's completely my own fault but Tesco banned me from the entire retail center the Tesco's store was part of as well, apparently indefinitely, which is really stressing me out as it's practically next door and it's getting harder and harder to make up excuses not to go there... and it's only been a few weeks, let alone however long the ban is for.
