Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Shoplifting Charge?

[AliKatt]

I am 18 years old, with no criminal record and have been accused of theft of a pair of gloves that cost 12 dollars at the local mall. A friend and I had gone to the mall to have girl time, and to catch up. We entered the store, and bouncing around to all sorts of different places, looking at all of the different merchandise. I picked up a pair of gloves that had the same logo on them as my shirt, and brought them to my friend and showed them to her. I had them in my hand as we were walking around the store examining different things. My cell phone began to ring, and it was my boyfriends ringtone, so i reached into my purse to grab the phone. By time I had gotten off of the phone, we were ready to leave the store. We were stopped at the doorby an employee, and the woman asked what I had done with the gloves. Thinking I had set them down like I had done with a few other things in the store I was thinking about buying, I replied that I had set them down. The employee then told me I was lying and that I was a shoplifter, and mall security had been called. In my heart of hearts I believed I sat them down, and I was compliant to the employees request to remain there until security arrivied to investigate the situation. Alas, the gloves were in my purse. The only time I reached into my purse at all was to retrieve my phone, I had no intention to 'steal' from one of my favorite stores. It was clear that the gloves were not intentionally placed in my purse, the tag was still on them and everything. I'm not a theif, but if I were I would be smart enough to take off security tags. I never recieved any letter to pay for anything from the company, and was fingerprinted and 'booked'. I was never told that I may face fines or anything along those lines, but I do have a court date set. What should I anticipate?

 

[jacksgal]

You need to talk to an Attorney and discuss options. Ask about diversion so you can protect your record. You can also visit the link in my signature line. Its a forum site just for shoplifting questions. The experts there will have answers