Data Protection With Regard To 17 Years Old

[Le Chat]

My son (17 years old) has been stealing DVDs etc and selling them at a local shop called CEX. I have found numerous receipts in his bag. The items are from our house and items (box sets) that I do not recognise, so presumably stolen from shops.
I called in to CEX and asked to see the full list of items he has sold to them but the manager told me that due to Data Protection I couldn't be furnished with it.
I would have to get the police involved he said.
I failed to tell him and didn't think at the time that my son is 17 years old, so not officially an adult .... depending on the circumstances.
I have looked at various websites relating to data protection and can't find an answer to my question, which is:
Can a parent obtain information regarding their child if the child is 17 years old, or does the data protection act cover them at this age?
Can Anyone help here?

[woofgang]

Her's a school policy that says that you can only get info on a child without their consent if they are under 12. I would assume that's pretty much standard.
the shop of course won't want to go there as they won't want to have to deal with the fact that they have been selling stolen goods. have you raised this with your son? he could tell you what he's sold.
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/dataprotection

[Le Chat]

Thank you Woofgang, that's very helpful.
It's part of a much larger problem unfortunatley, as I'm sure you can imagine.

[themas]

You could ask the Information Commissioners Office whether the shop has a duty to give you the information.

However, I'm not sure why you want it. You already know he has been stealing so what is the point? If you think you need to involve the police they will make whatever investigation they think necessary.

[Peter Pedant]

QUIG !

someone tell the Ed - the virus linked adobe update worm is baaaaack !

the one that tells you to update and then transfers you to a known virus worm site.....

[Peter Pedant]

Oh dear... I think that it is so important, considering, that you would have to take the advice of the info commissioner.

[hc4361]

From the legal side of things, woofgang is right.

I strongly suggest you confront your son and march him down to the shop so that he can ask for the information. Don't forget he may be selling on eBay and to other shops in the area.

[Peter Pedant]

sorry about that the virus prevented me from giving you THE answer.

I went onto the data protection site
having googled data protection
and on page 132 of one of their handouts ( a long one)
says the data is his data and you cant access it
Scotland is easier ( 12 ) but here the test is, can he understand enough to consent and the answer to that is easily yes
and I dont thinnk he would consent to your investigating

[Peter Pedant]

http://ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/~/media/documents/library/Data_Protection/Practical_application/the_guide_to_data_protection.pdf

page 130

para 25

[lcg]

easy....sell some of his stuff and see how he likes it. or throw all of his clothes out. thee's always more than one way to skin a cat! x