What is Retail Theft?
Retail Theft, commonly known as “shoplifting,” is defined as taking the property that belongs to a retail establishment with the intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner of that property. The Chicago Retail Theft lawyers at The Legal Defenders have extensive experience representing individuals charged with Retail Theft throughout Cook County. When a store employee challenges you by asking you to return to the store because they think you stole something or switched price tags, they are not held to the same standard as police officers. They do not have to advise you of your rights before taking a statement from you. Many people accused of retail theft, or shoplifting, by store security think that if they cooperate with store security and write out a statement confessing to the crime, that the matter will be settled quickly without police involvement. You are not obligated to give store security any information. In most cases, the police are called regardless of whether you cooperated with store security and the police are given the evidence obtained by store security.
The Chicago Retail Theft lawyers at The Legal Defenders have seen cases where a person has been arrested for retail theft, or shoplifting, even though he or she never intended to steal. For example, the Chicago Retail Theft lawyers at The Legal Defenders have seen cases where people have been charged with shoplifting when they have put an item in their pocket or purse, fully intending to pay for it, but forgetting before leaving the store.
A prosecutor may charge someone with retail theft as either a misdemeanor or felony. In Illinois, the prosecutor may charge someone with a felony if the value of the items attempted to be stolen exceed $150. Sometimes a prosecutor will charge both a felony and a misdemeanor in case the felony cannot be proven. Whether an act is charged as a felony or misdemeanor in your case may depend on whether you have any prior conviction.
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