Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft HELP! FIRST TIME CAUGHT IN GA only 20 first time

[nihao525]

IM 20 AND 3 DAYS AGO I WAS CAUGHT AT A GROCERY STORE IN DEKALB COUNTY GA STEALING AN ITEM WORTH 3 DOLLARS. THEY TOO MY PICTURE AND WROTE DOWN MY NAME AND INFO. AN OFFICER CAME BUT I WAS NOT ARRESTED. HE GAVE THE DISPATCHER MY ID INFO. AND HE LED ME OUT OF THE STORE NOT HANCDUFFED. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME AND I FEEL SO STUPID. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? WILL I GO TO COURT? WILL IT BE ON MY RECORD? WILL THEY CONTACT MY EMPLOYER, I NEED MY JOB!!! I AM REALLY SCARED. I JUST WANNA KNOW IF MY BOSS WILL GET CALLED AND CAN I GET FIRED AFTER IVE ALREADY BEEN EMPLOYED?

 

[thelawjournal]

Were you given a citation or notice to appear? Were told of a letter with a court date? Without this info it will be tough for us to answer you

 

[NormanJr]

They will most likely not contact your employer. However, your arrest is public record. Also if someone is in the courthouse and sees your name on the docket, and they work with you, it might get out that way. Contact a lawyer and they can work with you to minimize your legal consequences as well as the affect that it could have on your current job.

Look at it this way, you are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. A lawyer can potentially get you probation and diversion. Once you complete that, the shoplifting offense will not be on your record. To the public, it will look like it never happened.

Talk with a local criminal defense lawyer who has experience in theft and larceny cases. Be 100% honest with him/her and you will be fine.

 

[nihao525]

so i wont get arrested? The people at the grocery store told that i just had to pay a ticket of some sort. If this is on my record, can i get it expunged and how long will it take?

 

[thelawjournal]

You were arrested! The arrest was by the store a "citizen's arrest" Until you get a court date and a charge talking about expungement and the like is premature. However expungment takes years what want is Diversion. The "grocery people" are not experts on your defense or consequences their advice may not be valid