I am 17 years old and at about the end of June I was caught shoplifing from Sears in Ontario, Canada. It was a $30 shirt and as I got out of the store a guy from sears security asked me for the shirt and i gave it to him and he brought me back through the store to this back room. There he asked me questions like address and phone number and i told him the truth. Then I waited in the room for a bit and a cop walked in, he asked me why I did it and things like that. He said since it was my first time i would not be charged and that I have been warned and how if I do it again I would be in trouble. Then he just drove me home and that was it. Then about 3 weeks later i get a civil demand letter from Sears saying i have to pay $500 to sears and if i don't they may take legal action. What is this $500 dollars for exactly and do i have to pay it?How legally binding is this charge Sears has gave me? I think this is just Sears trying to get money off people and is a scam because i dont know how they came up with $500 and i don't think they would take me to court if i didn't pay it. Thanks and please give me some advice and information regarding this situation.

