I'd figure the judge wouldn't make me pay some ridiculous amount, especially if I was polite, showed remorse, and was 100% cooperative with the court system.
I work in Georgia and have been to court on shoplifting cases too many times for me to count. Here is an example of a shoplifting...
I would also think that the shoplifters on the video would want to sue the person who put the video on Youtube without their permission. Not sure or not, but they may be able to file a lawsuit against the store for letting the video get out.
In the state I work in, if you was observed stealing merchandise last week and then was caught shoplifting in the store this week, we can only arrest you for what you took on the day you was caught. We would have to get an warrant for the merchandise you took last week. Now I'm not sure if...
You may have gotten caught by someone who wasn't Loss Prevention. In the company I work for, only Loss Prevention associates can detain and have someone arrested. Management and sales associates are not allowed to confront shoplifters.
I work Loss Prevention in the state of Georgia. In the city I work in for the first offense it's a $500 fine, anywhere between 40-80 community service and anwhere between 3 months- a year probation. It's likely different from city to city.
If you write a statement confessing to taking the money, it will hurt you. If the store decide to take a warrant for your arrest, the statement you wrote will be used as evidences. Writing a statement helps the store in the long run.
When we write the shoplifting report, a copy goes to corporate and a copy goes to our civil demand lawyers regardless if the merchandise is damages or not.
The criminal trespass that you sign means that you understand that you can not come into the store for 2 years. If you do come into the store, they can have you arrested for trespassing.
I had an similar incident 3 months ago. Two kids came into the store and one stole an MP3 player while the other one was the lookout. When they walked out, the kid that had the merchandise took off running but I was able to get the other kid. While I had the kid I called the police and they...