Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someone.

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venomdemon808

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I was caught stealing a cell phone from someone and was video taped. I went to the police department and confessed and told them that I did it and dont know what got into me and I gave the phone I took to the officer. This is the first offense I have gotten and im 20. After I told them, the officer took me down to the police station and took my fingerprints then let me go. I am really scared right now and dont know what to expect. Are they going to send me a letter in the mail of a future court date or is it already on my record. If so is there any way to get it expunged or anything. Please help me, what is going to happen? am i going to go to jail for this?
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

Do you know what your charged with? That will help. You say you stole a phone from "someone" not a retailer? We basically deal with retail theft here but we can try to help.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

He told me it was type 2 theft but i tried looking it up and couldnt find anything so im pretty sure he was meaning 2nd degree theft. Then he made me sign the papers saying so then took my fingerprints and let me go.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

Yah it was from a person not a store. Please give me any advice that you might know or guidance and what might happen.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

I was referring to a penal code. Anyways answer no Police questions without an Attorney present. Your state will be helpful as well. Did you take this from a person? If describe how you did so
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

He didnt give me anything so im not sure. I took it off the table while the person was sleeping. It was right next to him. I didnt know what I was thinking at the time and lost my train of thought. If i already told him that I did it is it already too late? and if not how might I get a public lawyer if i cant afford one?
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

Theres a whole list of charges that could be sought including bugrlary (a felony). How is it you were able to steal this phone while a person was sleeping? I would recommend you consult some Attorneys many offer free consultations. It would do you well to get as many as you can. Once more what state was this in?
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

This was in a library and it was next to him on the table and in the state of Hawaii, Honolulu. Do i just call any attorney and ask him for help like looking them up in the phonebook?
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

Open yellow pages start calling criminal defense Attorneys. Those who offer free consultations get as many as you can. Do not mention you cannot afford them or they wont see you
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

Alright ill go ahead and do that. But do you know or have any idea what might happen? if i didnt get a date to go to court then will it be comming in the mail instead? or does the person i took the phone from want to take it to court in order to go that far or does it go to court automatically.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

OK I understand. If i am charged , is that the same as being convicted? or do i need to go to court in order to get convicted. And do all charged alwayse go to court?
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

You cannot be "convicted unless your found guilty or plead that way. They already told you that a notice will come in mail. That letter will likely contain your court date
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

It sounds as if you have been printed, but not yet charged. If they did not give you any post-booking paperwork or a citation/summons to appear in court, you should be okay for the time being.

Now, I am not familiar with the laws of theft in Hawaii, but I suspect that snagging a phone from someone's person will be a lot heftier an offense than shoplifting it. If you merely took it when it was left on a table by someone, then it may be the same offense (petty theft or some such thing).

Another consideration is a victim ... no victim will mean no real likelihood of a crime. The police probably did not arrest you right away because they are going to have to track down the owner of the phone and find out the details from that person. If the phone has no contracted provider and there is no contact info in the phone somewhere, unless the owner of the phone reports it as missing (along with the serial number) the police you spoke to might no be able to track down the victim.

At this point about all you can do is wait.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

They know who the victim was. They told me about him. But will it automatically go to court or does the victim have to take it up to court in order to ge that far. The office also told me that I could get it expunged since it was my first crime. If this is true how would I go about doing this? I am really scared right now and don't know what to do.
 
Re: Please Help! Got caught Stealing a cell phone from someo

venomdemon808 said:
They know who the victim was. They told me about him. But will it automatically go to court or does the victim have to take it up to court in order to ge that far. The office also told me that I could get it expunged since it was my first crime. If this is true how would I go about doing this? I am really scared right now and don't know what to do.
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Nothing happens automatically. But, the state decides whether or not to prosecute, not the victim. Though if the victim would rather not see you prosecuted, the DA may decide to drop the matter.

Expungement info for Hawaii can be found through the AG's office here:

http://hawaii.gov/ag/hcjdc/main/expungements/
 
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