Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft So many questions...

[missymellons]

A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend and I were caught shoplifting (we live in PA). He would open things/take off security tags and I put them in my purse. We were caught on our way out the door. The guy had a video of us doing the same thing a couple of weeks before and asked us to sign confessions for both incidences. He also asked if we minded if he wrote the report up as all happening at the same time. The total amount of everything we stole was under 500$. When the cop got there he took down our information as well and said that we would be getting a summons in the mail and when that happened we needed to go get fingerprinted and that we'd probably spend a night or two in jail. So here are my many questions...

1) Were we right in signing those confessions?

2) Are we both in the same amount of trouble or one of us more so than the other?

3) Are we going to spend the night in jail when we go to get fingerprinted?

4) Lastly, the most obvious question... this being our first offense, what is likely to happen to us?

Any answeres are greatly appreciated.

 

[thelawjournal]

1) Were we right in signing those confessions?
No as those confessions can wid up in court

2) Are we both in the same amount of trouble or one of us more so than the other?
Probably the same

3) Are we going to spend the night in jail when we go to get fingerprinted?
Probably not be we can't say that for certain

4) Lastly, the most obvious question... this being our first offense, what is likely to happen to us?
Your problem is its not your first offense. You admitted to a prior theft. This could take the issue into felony area.

You need to talk to an Attorney before court. Many offer free consultations. Get as many as you can

 

[missymellons]

in reguards to the last question, does it change anything that the guy wrote it up all together as one offense instead of two?

 

[thelawjournal]

It could be lucky for you as it might count as one offense. Discuss this with your Attorney as it might not be lawful! Did they maintain the evidence of first theft? You might had made matters worse. I am also wondering if it was lawful for the to write this up this way

 

[CdwJava]

As long as it is not being characterized as all happening at the same time, of course loss prevention can write both incidents in the same report. Ultimately, it will be up to a prosecutor to decide on what charges to seek and whether he will seek a single incident or multiple incidents.

You really need to consult legal counsel ASAP!

I do not know the penalty for this in your state,but a similar offense in my state can result in a few years in prison if you got really unlucky or had priors.

- Carl

 

[Gwl001]

In the state I work in, if you was observed stealing merchandise last week and then was caught shoplifting in the store this week, we can only arrest you for what you took on the day you was caught. We would have to get an warrant for the merchandise you took last week. Now I'm not sure if this matters and not knowing what is a felony in your state-but you stated that the LPA wrote it all up as if it happen the same day and it came to around $500. If so the amount you took last week may have been a misdemeanor charge and the amount that you took the day you were arrest may have also been a misdemeanor charge. Combine it may be a felony ($300 is a felony in my state).

 

[Guest]

First off if I did that I would be fired! Next this is falseifying a report! It wasn't one incident it was two! Writing it as one can get entire report thrown out of court! Talk to your Attorney you might walk on this

 

[thelawjournal]

This is really odd. Many Loss Prevention departments rate their teams by stats. Why take two stats and make it one? Something isnt right here