Please help me. Please.

[worried123]

I was recently banned from a well-known highstreet store because the person i was with shoplifted. I knew it was happening hence why I've been banned too. This is really cutting me up as I have had a very good education, go to a very good uni and want to get a very good job. Plus, I'm absolutely horrified at how immoral I was prepared to be. To be embroiled in something like this is entirely out of character for me and I think I might now be suffering from some sort of depression as a result. My friend got banned and interviewed by a policeman in the store but it was made clear that neither of us had criminal records. On the sheet I signed it says I am banned for life from the 'store'. The address of the store is referred to in the top hand corner. Is it safe to say it is just this particular store then or does it mean all shops in the company? I'm literally shaking with nerves as I write this. It's just so difficult cos I know I deserve it but I'm too ashamed to tell anyone. The security guy said that in 12 months I could write in and ask for the ban to be lifted but I'm scared to do this in case they tell me explicitly that I'm banned from all stores in which case I'd have to tell people. The incident happened about 6 months ago and it's eating me up inside partly due to the legal practicalities of it and partly due to my feeling of deep shame. I'm not being melodramatic; this really is how I'm feeling. There's no one I can talk to about this and I'm currently trying to apply for work experience in marketing or PR but am worried that somewhere along the way this issue will be brought up - my worst nightmare for me would be to be given a project dealing directly with this highstreet store (I'm scared to say the name but it's very well known, and literally everywhere). Any advice, legal or otherwise, would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

[sue11]

I own a few shops with cctv in them and agree that if we spent time simply watching cctv for all minor offenders then we would never get any work done! Unless your friend is a persistant repeat offender, then you will not be on their radar and it is probably company policy to ban all thieves in this manner in attempt to stamp it out. If your friend is a persistant offender at shop lifting and you want a career in law, then you need to question why you are keeping such company! As another poster has suggested, why don't you write to the shop, expressing your regret and ask if they will accept your apology. As a gesture, you could offer to pay for the shoplifted items if they were not recovered, if they were, you could offer to pay this amount to a charity of their choice. I am sure that if a customer wrote to me in this manner, I would want to look upon this favourably.
Best of luck and as the others said, you have already spent enough time agonising over this, if you cannot take the steps to try to put it right by contacting the shop, then put it behind you and move on.
Cheers Sue