In the last 5 years, only 1 in 48 people have been caught shoplifting. Once caught, they can face charges if the place that they are stealing from decides to press criminal charges against them.
In this article, you’re going to find out what to do next when you’ve committed a shoplifting crime. The circumstances may change depending on what you’ve stolen as well as the circumstances during the time of your arrest.
What To Do When You’ve Been Caught Shoplifting
There are multiple things that you need to do after you’ve been caught shoplifting. You must take these next few steps. Below you’ll find everything that you need to know about what happens next.
Don’t Speak
If you find that you’re being detained at the place where you’ve committed the shoplifting crime, it is crucial to your case that you say nothing to the store owners. Many times you may be told that confessing will get you out of trouble.
Or that if you return the items that have been taken, no charges will be brought against you. If they attempt to persuade you to sign a written statement admitting guilt, you shouldn’t sign anything.
If you’ve signed anything or given any statements to store personal, they will then provide the police with anything that you’ve given them to be used against you in pressing charges.
After The Arrest
Once you’ve been arrested, you should continue to give as little information as possible to the police and request to speak with your attorney. A top criminal defense attorney will know how to proceed from there if you are charged.
They will work with you to have your charges reduced, dropped, or get you a deal that is beneficial to yourself and your needs. Your attorney will act as a barrier between you and the police and keep you from answering questions that may lure you into admitting guilt.
After speaking with your attorney, you may either be charged and arrested or given a written slip that has the details of your future court hearing written on it.
The Hearing
If you and your lawyers have considered entering a guilty plea, you may also want to request that the judge provide expunction pending that you have no other criminal convictions after your sentencing is completed.
Before the court hearing, your attorney should check to see if there are any retail theft programs in your state. A retail theft program means that you don’t have to appear in court, and as long as you complete the program, the shoplifting charges against you will be dropped.
Preparing for Your Case
If you’re caught shoplifting, it is in your best interest to take the advice and follow the steps that we’ve given you above. Hopefully, your attorney can get the most favorable outcome for you.
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