Banned from Two Stores As a Minor

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Michigan

Good Evening,

When I was seventeen, I committed retail shoplifting from two separate grocery stores, a few months apart. I am now 22 and fully understand and respect the actions taken by the stores and security. I feel extreme remorse and take full responsibility for my actions, and they are two of the most shameful things I have ever done in my life. I am so glad to say that I have turned my life around, and haven't stolen or shoplifted since those incidents.

Thankfully, I was not arrested and police were not called either of the times (to this day I have absolutely no criminal record). The first time I concealed an item worth less than $8, and the second time the item was worth roughly $40 if I recall correctly. On neither occurrence was I asked to sign anything, although my license and information were collected by each store. A Civil Demand was sent from each store and both were paid in full in a timely manner. I was verbally banned from each of the stores by the LP's in the their office, and was told never to return to the store or any other owned stores again (both grocery stores are mid-size chains). No further action was taken by either grocery store.

Once again, I take full responsibility for my shameful actions. Now more than 5 years later, I do have some questions regarding these incidents.

1) In good faith I have not returned to either of these stores since the incidents. I truly have turned my life around and have started a successful career with a respected company (for more than 3 years). I would like to write a letter to these stores asking for my ban to be reconsidered. Is this a wise thing to do? Should such a letter be sent to the affected store, or to corporate (a certain department?)?

2) I know I don't have any criminal record, but I am concerned that I am in a retail theft database (like the ones I have learned about here in this forum). Is it likely a record in a retail theft database would still be there if these events happened when I was a minor? Is that fact even relevant? I don't work in retail (so I don't think there will be an issue with future employers), however it shames me to know that I am in such a database.

I really appreciate anyone's time helping me with these questions, this forum has proven to be an invaluable asset during my search for information. Thank you once again.

(1) Address the letter to the Corporate Office, Attention: Loss Prevention. They will respond by mail, wait til you get approval before going to the stores though. You should be able to find the address on their main website.

(2) Since you were 17, you would not be in the National Retail Theft Database. Just the stores databases.

Cost of gas to get to another comparable store is getting expensive?

Thank you very much for your quick response!

I will be writing the letter to Corporate today. Do you think I should be worried about any potential risk from writing such a letter, like the store deciding to pursue the matter legally after receiving my apologies for my actions? I think this whole process is more about the closure for me, with a possible ban lifting being a secondary reward.

I'm very glad to hear that the record won't show up in the NRTD on the account that I was a minor during both incidents, thank you very much for this.