How Do You Know If A Store Called The Police?

Hi I was caught shoplifting about 3 month ago. The store staff told me if i pay the compensation fee, he won't report it to police. I filled some forms, providing my name, address, nationality, and so on. I got banned from the store as well. He didnt call the police at that time. Few weeks later I paid all my compensation. I have not heard from police 3 month after the incident. Is it possible that the staff will report my case later on, even it's after 3 month from the time of the incident? Or can i assume that I was lucky that there's no polie involvement?

Please help...Im really scared that I can't even sleep...

I would venture that the police were not called. It's a guess, so it could well be wrong, but it would be unusual not to hear anything for three months if the police were involved, and it would be very unusual for a store to wait three months before calling the police.

:oops: The same thing happened to me. No police were called and all i have received was a civil demand in the mail. It has been 2months since this happened and i haven't heard anything. I talked to an attorney online and she told me that by law they have up to one year to press charges, however since it was not done at the time they would have to go back and file a report so she says it may be over with. I know that isn't a definate answer but at least it eased my mind a little to hear it may be over with.

Thanks a lot for your rely..! Now I think that i was so stupid to do such thing..and I'm still scared if the staff will report to police when they see me near the store..

Two days ago, just on Christmas eve, I was caught shoplifing too, also feel that I fell so low - cannot believe I actually did it. I have a major issues with my conciousness, especially that I have a child who was with me when this happened. I did not tell anyone - I have no blood relatives to help in any way, and I cannot talk about this to anyone - I am so embarassed!. I am also freshly divorced. If anyone should find out about this, it would be a catastrophy of unbelievable proportions..I think that this changed my life and make me think. I did it not do this for fun or thrill, but out of need, yet I think it is not an excuse.
The security officer said he would not call the police - I paid the fine right away and they banned me from the store for good - he said that was it and I would never hear from them except that I will get a reciept in mail - it has only be a couple of days so I am waiting. I am scared to death that they may find out that I did it a few times before too if they research the video records. I do hope they would not notify the police as they said that would not. If you have any info for me, please help.
I am desperate and feel tremendeous pressure, to the point I am affraid to get some kind of attack...

fedora, the stores are so busy right before Christmas, if they didn't catch you at the time they're not going to go back over the tapes. It's a waste of time to try to pick one face from a thousand.

Paul!

Thank you for the answer. I am so scared...I hope you are right and that they will not dig any more. The time I did it before was way before holidays - so he would have to find out which days I was there (although I was there often as I did most of my food shopping there), pull out the tapes and watch them...Is is worth it for them? Hope not.
I spoke to an attorney from pre-paid legal services and he said that it is all up to that security officer - if he feels he should go further, he will. I know the security officer told me it was over and that the amount was not so large, but I wish there is a way to confirm that they will not report this. If I am so lucky that nothing happens, I suppose I do have to live in fear for a year...It seems that this is a life-shaking message for everyone caught. It is the stupidest mistake and not worth the embarasment. I am embarassed not only that someone may find out, but in front of myself - my own picture of me is shaking and I am trying to accept and discover what led me to this miserable action.
Outside of this, I am a very considerate person, I never even litter, never mind something else...Anyway, if anyone should have any other information that would be useful for me, I would appreciate it. I wish I could do something to make people aware - BEFORE they make this mistake, how humiliating it is...I know I will NEVER do it again, but I am usually such an open book, and having this secret is a tremendeous pressure..

fedora, I'd think by the time you get the receipt in the mail IF he was going to charge you that's when you would get some kind of papers. If the police weren't called right then you may be done with it, it's not very common to press charges days later. The hardest part now is letting yourself off the hook, good people do dumb things.....s##t happens.

Paul!
Thanks again!
I am trying to resume my life, but the fear of further consequences is really huge. I still haven't received the receipt - so I worry if something else is happening. Maybe my mind is playing games with me, but I cannot relax. It has been six days, and I so hope to get just the reciept in mail with nothing else ASAP. I hope I won't need any more advice..I know how I would handle things as of now, if I should be so lucky...I was even thinking about writing a note to the security officer telling him that I understand now the heaviness of what I did..but that would probably be just taking the attention to me again and not so smart.
Thank you again for kind words. I know that my life will never be the same again.

Paul,
I still didn't receive any receipt! I am reading that people who get arrested usually are photographed, as well as the items - and trying to convince myself - since I wasn't - I should believe the security officer...that nothing else will happen. A lawyer from prepaid legal services told me that I most likely won't get any receipt. I was even thinking about sending a note to the store security office - not to exuse myself-I know there is no excuse, but to make some kind of explanation and say what this event did to me..I wanted to offer any kind of voluntary work in the future in educating about this dumb crime..Do you think that is stupid?
Still very scared...Please tell me what you think..