Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Got caught stealing

TayTayGang03

New Member
We'll a few weeks ago.. I got caught stealing.

As I walked they asked me to stop and I ran. I had never done anything like this, never had a record, so I was scared and ran. Of coarse they chased me.

Before I had went into the store I had went to a nearby store which was right next door in which I did not steal and I had 3 bag from there. Oh and I actually did buy a sweater at the 2nd store on sale too. I had my purse and a pair of boots which was in the other bag from store 1.

I think the cost of everything I took was about $40. So while their chasing me a man and a girl I drop everything like an idiot. Then I just kept going and went home.

After I realize I had everything in my purse, wallet, phone, meds, all my things I did buy. I just wished I would of just got caught and went to jail for a night, instead of leaving everything. Anyways a couple days ago i got a letter in the mail from a lawyer saying to pay a civil something. Which i plan on paying. But my question is will I ever get those things back and if yes how would I go about doing it. Thanks so much.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
We'll a few weeks ago.. I got caught stealing.

As I walked they asked me to stop and I ran. I had never done anything like this, never had a record, so I was scared and ran. Of coarse they chased me.

Before I had went into the store I had went to a nearby store which was right next door in which I did not steal and I had 3 bag from there. Oh and I actually did buy a sweater at the 2nd store on sale too. I had my purse and a pair of boots which was in the other bag from store 1.

I think the cost of everything I took was about $40. So while their chasing me a man and a girl I drop everything like an idiot. Then I just kept going and went home.

After I realize I had everything in my purse, wallet, phone, meds, all my things I did buy. I just wished I would of just got caught and went to jail for a night, instead of leaving everything. Anyways a couple days ago i got a letter in the mail from a lawyer saying to pay a civil something. Whoch i plan on paying. But my question is will I ever get those things back and if yes how would I go about doing it. Thanks so much.


I suggest you simply REPLACE anything that somehow disappeared.
I also suggest you STOP discussing this incident.
You are telling far TOO much, and it will only lead to MORE trouble for you.

You might also want to discuss everything with a lawyer, but no one else, especially internet sites.

Its time to be smart, and stay out of any more trouble.
It would also be best if you stayed out of those stores (and any stores with teh same name) for at least two years, if not longer.
 
i have to agree with army judge. If i was you i would contact an attorney and DO NOT reply to the letter. If you do , they might come arrest you for shoplifting. At this stage, they have no evidence that you stole the items. For all they know someone stole your items and then tried to steal from the store.

An attorney can contact the store and agree to pay the store its civil penalty in exchange for immunity from criminal charges and you get your items back.
 
I am a Retail theft consultant and answer questions like yours daily. You can ask for the items and your belongings back but there is no guarantee they even still have them. Pay the Civil Demand and consider the items collateral damage
 
The benefit you have of having a lawyer handle correspondence is that anything said by the attorney will not be held against you such as may be the case if you try to negotiate or make arrangements on your own behalf.
 
i have to agree with army judge. If i was you i would contact an attorney and DO NOT reply to the letter. If you do , they might come arrest you for shoplifting.

No arrest will be made at this point without a warrant, and it seems there is no law enforcement action so far.

At this stage, they have no evidence that you stole the items. For all they know someone stole ytour items and then tried to steal from the store.

We don't know what evidence there may be. Based on the description of the scenario given I bet there is sufficient information available to identify her as a suspect.

An attorney can contact the store and agree to pay the store its civil penalty in exchange for immunity from criminal charges and you get your items back.

That's not quite how it works, but the result is possible. The problem is she does not know who has her property. Her things could already be in a police evidence locker.

There may be advantages to just keeping quiet and replacing your items as mentioned above. Definitely speak with an attorney about whether or not to pay the civil demand. It is not a bill or a fine and you have no legal obligation to pay it or even acknowledge the letter.

Also, stop stealing.
 
Just to add in some states a retailer may not seek civil demand and file criminal report. If your state is such a state then failing to pay Civil demand could provoke a filing
 
No arrest will be made at this point without a warrant, and it seems there is no law enforcement action so far.



We don't know what evidence there may be. Based on the description of the scenario given I bet there is sufficient information available to identify her as a suspect.



That's not quite how it works, but the result is possible. The problem is she does not know who has her property. Her things could already be in a police evidence locker.

There may be advantages to just keeping quiet and replacing your items as mentioned above. Definitely speak with an attorney about whether or not to pay the civil demand. It is not a bill or a fine and you have no legal obligation to pay it or even acknowledge the letter.

Also, stop stealing.

Good points Moose. I know that she could get the letter, get an attorney to call the store up thanking them for 'finding' her things and offering a reward to return them to her. The store would then confront the lawyer with the fact she stole the other items and the lawyer could then start to negotiate a settlement to 'put the whole thing behind all parties' routine
 
Good points Moose. I know that she could get the letter, get an attorney to call the store up thanking them for 'finding' her things and offering a reward to return them to her. The store would then confront the lawyer with the fact she stole the other items and the lawyer could then start to negotiate a settlement to 'put the whole thing behind all parties' routine

You seem to forget about that constitutional privilege between attorney-client.
No REAL lawyer would even begin to reveal who he or she was representing.
Beyond that, a common shoplifter couldn't afford to retain an attorney to negotiate the return of a twenty dollar purse filled with junk.
All the alleged shoplifter needs to do is, if she or he wants to find their junk is place an ad on CraigsList and offer a reward.
Additionally, the one who has lost items could print about 100 "Have You seen My Junk" posters and plaster them all about town.
But, it would seem much cheaper to me to simply obtain a replacement drivers license and other junk allegedly lost in the purse.
Problem is, most people have no idea of how to cut their losses.
 
You seem to forget about that constitutional privilege between attorney-client.
No REAL lawyer would even begin to reveal who he or she was representing.
Beyond that, a common shoplifter couldn't afford to retain an attorney to negotiate the return of a twenty dollar purse filled with junk.
All the alleged shoplifter needs to do is, if she or he wants to find their junk is place an ad on CraigsList and offer a reward.
Additionally, the one who has lost items could print about 100 "Have You seen My Junk" posters and plaster them all about town.
But, it would seem much cheaper to me to simply obtain a replacement drivers license and other junk allegedly lost in the purse.
Problem is, most people have no idea of how to cut their losses.

My analysis was predicated on the fact the letter contained evidence that the store had her things. How else do they find her address to send her a letter?

She could hire an attorney to call up the store asking why they sent her a letter in the first place. Did they find her 'junk' and thus her address?

Someone who lost their purse /ID who then gets a letter in the mail is confused about the shoplifting accusations but would also be very motivated to get their belongings back. My advise is she act exactly like that.

Getting a letter in the mail demanding civil damages is something people would call a lawyer for. So in response she gets the lawyer to call inquiring what the letter is about and asking if they found her belongings. This would be a good time to agree to pay the civil penalty as a 'reward' for finding her stuff ,admitting no wrongdoing.

If her stuff is truly 'junk' then I would go with your opinion and just ignore the letter and avoid the store for 2 years or whatever the statute of limitations is.
 
The store is not likely to discuss Civil Demand with OP. Once they submit request to the law firm collecting they pretty much let them deal with it. Any questions on payment or payment plans will need to go through the law firm issuing the request. Paying Civil demand is NOT an admission of guilt! If concerned the Op can pay the demand with a statement that he/she is not admitting guilt.
 
The store is not likely to discuss Civil Demand with OP. Once they submit request to the law firm collecting they pretty much let them deal with it. Any questions on payment or payment plans will need to go through the law firm issuing the request. Paying Civil demand is NOT an admission of guilt! If concerned the Op can pay the demand with a statement that he/she is not admitting guilt.

On what legal grounds are they demanding civil payment? Because they say so?
 
On what legal grounds are they demanding civil payment? Because they say so?

It is based on the assumption that the identity of the suspect is that of the person who owns the property that was dropped.
Anyone could receive a letter asking for money. Nobody has an obligation to pay it whether they committed the offense or not.
 
On what legal grounds are they demanding civil payment? Because they say so?

Yes, because they say so.
You see, they could sue you in small claims court, but that's often cost prohibitive, and small claims courts are often a toothless tiger in the justice system.
So, they hire "law firms" to send demand letters, (because state laws say they can write you a letter and demand money from you).
If, however, you refuse to pay, they often move on, because suing you is harder than demanding you pay.
Besides, we all know most shoplifters are often drug abuser, law breakers, or down on their luck types - flat broke.
If you sue a thief and win, try collecting.
His or her credit score is already destroyed, many are living on government and community handouts, own very little, and aren't working.
Its a sad story all around.
So, if the thief ignores the letter, which they do, the "law firm" moves on to easier pickings.
The thief?
Well, he or she keeps right on stealing.
Which is why I endorse a zero tolerance for all thievery, call the police, and prosecute the thief.
Too expensive says the state, and so it goes.
 
Back
Top