About Shoplifting Offenses

Shoplifting is charged when it is discovered that a person has left a commercial enterprise such as a store with products that were taken without paying for them.   Usually a store detective or security officer is the person initiating the call to law enforcement.  This can be an extremely frightening experience, and the humiliation and embarrassment surrounding the incident can be devastating.  In many cases, the person accused mistakenly took the item, and this has been the situation in countless cases in which individuals had to deal with shoplifting charges.  Whether in error or due to some other circumstance or reason, it is crucial that you get help from a criminal defense lawyer at once.  Without fast action taken by a defense attorney, you are likely facing serious consequences.

Defending Shoplifting Charges

It is vital that you do not discuss any aspect of the case with any person until the attorney arrives to assist you.  When you are interviewed by a store detective or law enforcement there is only one purpose:  to get more evidence to use against you.  Everything you do and say will be carefully observed and written down in notes to be brought to court in the effort to convict you.  Many shoplifting charges are prosecuted by young, upcoming junior members of the prosecution team.  These young prosecutors are hungry for convictions, as the higher their "conviction percentage" the more likely they will advance to a higher position, either in the D.A.'s office or in private practice.  You are facing serious odds in any such case, and you need an attorney that is equally capable of fighting back to protect you in court.

With fast action by the defense attorney supporting you, it could be possible to get the charges dropped in a civil compromise.  The store gets full restitution for the items taken and you avoid prosecution.  It takes a skilled negotiator to work out such a compromise.  The lawyer defending you must be a skilled negotiator, whether in a civil compromise or in court when fighting to assist you.  When a mental condition creates a dangerous compulsion, certain defense tactics can be employed to reduce charges and get alternative sentencing.  Whatever your situation, you can be sure that the legal team will aggressively fight for your defense in shoplifting charges.