Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft am i still guilty ?

[purtyroxie]

me and my friend were at a well known store, we plan this ( but they dont know that it was planned ) pocked about 300 dlls in merchandise each one , i notice LP following us around , so i decided to drop everything and i advice my friend to do as well , we did , we picked up more things and head to the fitting rooms and drop everything there , we proceded to get out of there , and when we step foot outside LP was waiting for us , they asked us to come back into a room i refused , they aske dme again just for questioning and well since i didnt have anything on me i agreed to go back into their a small room , they wanted to go thru my purse and i told them no and they began being rude threating me like some felon , police came i let the police go thru my purse and they found nothing and LP was shocked and were asking me were it was , i said i dont know what there talking about and police offcer issued me a ticket with a court date , it dosent say what am charged for or why im going to court , also 3 weeks has already passed from this incident , i got a restitucion letter from the store saying i need to pay 300 dlls for damages , what should i do ? i did not take anything , everything i took i dropped it in the fitting room , why are they sueing me for something i diidnt take . why am i going to court ? im still showing up on the 15 of january , but what shoul i expect i dont have enough to pay for a lawyer , should i sue the store for this?

im in san diego california if this helps

thank you

 

[StoreDetectiveVet]

me and my friend were at a well known store, we plan this ( but they dont know that it was planned ) pocked about 300 dlls in merchandise each one , i notice LP following us around , so i decided to drop everything and i advice my friend to do as well , we did , we picked up more things and head to the fitting rooms and drop everything there , we proceded to get out of there , and when we step foot outside LP was waiting for us , they asked us to come back into a room i refused , they aske dme again just for questioning and well since i didnt have anything on me i agreed to go back into their a small room , they wanted to go thru my purse and i told them no and they began being rude threating me like some felon , police came i let the police go thru my purse and they found nothing and LP was shocked and were asking me were it was , i said i dont know what there talking about and police offcer issued me a ticket with a court date , it dosent say what am charged for or why im going to court , also 3 weeks has already passed from this incident , i got a restitucion letter from the store saying i need to pay 300 dlls for damages , what should i do ? i did not take anything , everything i took i dropped it in the fitting room , why are they sueing me for something i diidnt take . why am i going to court ? im still showing up on the 15 of january , but what shoul i expect i dont have enough to pay for a lawyer , should i sue the store for this?

im in san diego california if this helps

thank you

Concealment is a crime in many states, also if you damaged the property, you can be charged with that.
As for suing the store, don't waste your time or money, you'll be laughed out of court.

 

[thelawjournal]

IN CA concealment is not a crime. The store video or eye witness will have to show you took, concealed and left store with item(s). Since you dumped merchandise they cannot. I would keep your mouth shut about your "plan" as this makes the crime a felony. Did you sign any documents while at store? If so what? You need to also contact the law firm that has sent you the Civil Demand. You need to either pay them or tell them there wa sno crime and therefore no reason to pay demand. They can of course contest this and a court fight might be in your furture. Again it appears from your post that there was no crime only intent. I would suggest though you rethink this activity as if you were caught with merchandise either your intent or dollar value would have made this a felony case

 

[purtyroxie]

i did not sing any papers just the ticket the officer issued me , the merchandise was not damage since it was mostly clothes and shoes and some cosmetics

 

[CdwJava]

police offcer issued me a ticket with a court date , it dosent say what am charged for or why im going to court ,

If he gave you a ticket, it does say what you were charged with. What is the CODE section on the citation? It will likely include 488, 487, 490.5, maybe 484 and maybe 664. There also might be a 602 section there as well.

also 3 weeks has already passed from this incident , i got a restitucion letter from the store saying i need to pay 300 dlls for damages , what should i do ?

That is a civil claim by the store. They have a right to ask for up to $500 from you. this is separate from any criminal matter. If you decline to pay they can sue you for the amount.

Did you sign anything at the store when they released you? Something other than the citation issued by the officer?

i did not take anything , everything i took i dropped it in the fitting room , why are they sueing me for something i diidnt take . why am i going to court ? im still showing up on the 15 of january , but what shoul i expect i dont have enough to pay for a lawyer , should i sue the store for this?

You intend to sue the store because they caught you trying to steal from them? Really?!? ;o

Understand that if the court rules your claim to be frivolous, you will be on the hook for their attorney's fees ... corporate lawyers are rather pricey.

im in san diego california if this helps

Actually, yes. When I was there we would pursue attempted theft cases. You might consider consulting legal counsel before the court date.

 

[NormanJr]

You had the intent to remove merchandise from the store without payment. Since the LP were on the floor, I would assume that there is no video, so it will be your word against theirs. The courts will take their word. Did anyone in your party have stolen merchandise on them?

Get a public or private lawyer because you need one.

Good luck and steal no more. You will get caught again.

 

[CdwJava]

Many stores employ both cameras and loss prevention personnel on the floor. Even if not monitored, many stores today have video. Others have video that they use to spot wrongdoers and then they go out to observe them. There is no way to know which it might be in this case until after discovery has been provided.

 

[NormanJr]

Many stores employ both cameras and loss prevention personnel on the floor. Even if not monitored, many stores today have video. Others have video that they use to spot wrongdoers and then they go out to observe them. There is no way to know which it might be in this case until after discovery has been provided.

Agreed, but the store may not submit the video into evidence or even acknowledge the existence of the video.

Follow cdwjava's advice, obtain legal counsel and go through the discovery process.

 

[CdwJava]

The police almost certainly ASKED about it. If the store is a frequent flyer, then the police already know it exists.