Re: caught shoplifting, no police, how much should i worry?

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i got caught stealing yesterday i was friends i was the only one who
got caught i was mad scared they took my information down and said i
had to pay afine for 100 dollars but im scared this might go on my
permant record or i will have to go to court i have een crying since
yesterday and i really learned my lesson

On 3/01/09, Serena wrote:
> On 6/11/08, john wrote:
>> On 6/30/06, maricha wrote:
>>> On 6/30/06, M'sta Mikey wrote:
>>>> On 6/30/06, maricha wrote:
>>>>> Hi everyone. I was caught shoplifting from Mervyn's in
>>>>> California 3 weeks ago. In comparison, I guess my ordeal
>>>>> was more pleasant than a lot of people's on here, but that
>>>>> hasn't gotten me to stop worrying and shaking. I took a
>>>>> necklace and stuffed the wrapper in a pants pocket. I
>>>>> walked out of the store to the parking lot and got about
>>>>> 10 ft when a guy ran up to me and tapped me on the
>>>>> shoulder and say "Hey kid, which one did you take?" I
>>>>> almost peed myself! I immediately started to cry and
>>>>> reached in my pocket to give him the necklace but he held
>>>>> my arm before I could take it out and told me to stop.
>>>>> Then we walked back into the store where he escorted me up
>>>>> the escalators and as we were going up he asked my age and
>>>>> when I told him I was 17 he said "Shouldn't you be in
>>>>> school right now?" and I said "No, we got out early today
>>>>> for professional development." which was the truth. He
>>>>> just nodded and smiled and said "Professional
>>>>> development?" and I said "Yeah, its when the teachers and
>>>>> students get extra time to work on the curriculum and
>>>>> schoolwork" and he said "Cool" and smiled again. When got
>>>>> to the 2nd floor we walked into this white room with a
>>>>> bunch of cabinets and a desk and he asked if I had any
>>>>> prior convictions and I said no, which is the truth also.
>>>>> Then he said "Well kid, since this is your first time I'm
>>>>> gonna go easy on you. Just tell the truth from this point
>>>>> forward and I'll be easy" or something to that effect.
>>>>> Then he asked me my info (name, address, phone #, parents
>>>>> name, social security) and he asked if I had my California
>>>>> ID and I said no, and he said he'd have to call the police
>>>>> if I didn't have a form of ID, and he took my school ID
>>>>> instead. He was writing out the story of what he saw in
>>>>> the video, which made me nervous because I thought he was
>>>>> writing a police report, but he said he wouldn't prosecute
>>>>> me, so I guess he was writing it for his own files? He
>>>>> tried to call my parents, but since my parents are both
>>>>> busy workers neither picked up the phone. He sighed and
>>>>> said he'd have to call the police, and when he did, a
>>>>> police officer that was already in the mall came up to the
>>>>> store where we were and said "Hey what's going on up here?
>>>>> What're you in here for young lady?" and I
>>>>> said "Stealing." and he said "Now what would make you do a
>>>>> thing like that?" and I said "Peer pressure." then he went
>>>>> on with a little anecdote that ended with "If your friends
>>>>> jump off a bridge, let em, just don't jump off right
>>>>> behind em." and then he told the security/LP guy and
>>>>> said "Man, you don't need me here. Just 602 (I think
>>>>> that's what he said) and let her leave with mall
>>>>> security." and then he smiled at me and said "Keep outta
>>>>> trouble, you hear? I don't wanna see your name in the
>>>>> funny papers." I have no idea what that meant but I just
>>>>> nodded and smiled through my tears, I was so scared. I
>>>>> felt like I was in a movie. The police officer was so lax,
>>>>> during the whole conversation he was eating a soft pretzel
>>>>> and slurping soda like it was no big deal, but I guess he
>>>>> handles theft often. What is 602, if that's even what he
>>>>> said? Now I'm nervous because I'm not sure if I
>>>>> technically plead guilty already (even though I am!).
>>>>> Anyway, the officer left and mall security arrived and
>>>>> walked me out of the mall. He walked me all the way
>>>>> through the mall to the other side (unfortunately, I was
>>>>> parked right outside of Mervyn's, which meant I had to
>>>>> walk all the way around the mall to get back to my car...
>>>>> it gave me time to regret and think about what I did,
>>>>> although the mall security didn't know I drove.) But
>>>>> before I was escorted out I had to sign a release paper
>>>>> and some other paper but he never explained it and I was
>>>>> so nervous that I didn't read it, I could barely sign it
>>>>> legibly! And the mall security made me sign a trespass
>>>>> note and even called my house to make sure my mother knew
>>>>> about it! Fortunately, I went home right after the ordeal
>>>>> and got the message before my parents.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyway, I haven't told my parents, and I won't unless I
>>>>> get a summons to court, which the security/LP guy said he
>>>>> wouldn't do. I got a civil demand letter in the mail, and
>>>>> since I just got enough money (graduation gift money) to
>>>>> pay for it, I'm gonna get a money order and pay for it
>>>>> ASAP. I'm so scared about this all (and I should be,
>>>>> serves me right ). I haven't been able to sleep, eat, I'm
>>>>> afraid to leave the house, and I'm more paranoid than
>>>>> ever! And that doesn't help my nerves at all because I
>>>>> already have ADHD. I'm just really nervous about what
>>>>> could happen even if I pay the civil demand. They could
>>>>> still prosecute me and that scares the daylights outta me!
>>>>> At the end of the civil demand it even says something
>>>>> along the lines of "Payment of civil demand does not
>>>>> preclude prosecution." I'm just so sorry about what
>>>>> happened. I'm sorry for being dishonest, pathetic,
>>>>> selfish, and taking time outta those officer's lives. I've
>>>>> never been more sorry and apologetic in my life. I
>>>>> apologized to the security/LP guy repeatedly (not to get
>>>>> out of trouble or anything, but because I was sincerely
>>>>> sorry) and he said "It's ok, it's ok, you're not the worst
>>>>> I've had. At least you cooperated." Does anyone know what
>>>>> the likelihood of prosecution is? I know that your guess
>>>>> is as good as mine, but some of you guys are more
>>>>> experienced in this area than I am. And if you were in a
>>>>> similar situation as me, please share your story! Maybe
>>>>> it'll help me lighten up a bit.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for reading, and sorry my story is so long, I just
>>>>> wanted to provide details for better understanding.
>>>>
>>>> Pay the civil demand, stay out of the store and they won't
>>>> prosecute. Don't, and all bets are off.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you, I'm a bit relieved now.
>
>
> you were lucky to get off so easily with such a nice staff memeber.
> just promise yourself that you will never steal again. dont worry,
> you'll be just fine. i got caught shoplifting over 30 bucks worth
of
> merchandise at rite aid. they got my address, name, number, and
> school. my grandmother had to come to sign a release form and i
have
> to tell my parents, but they didnt call the police and im just not
> allowed to go back. i started crying too, and the people were real
> bitches. dont worry, all of us do stupid things but just b/c its
> normal doesnt mean its okay. dont worry about your permanent
record.
> since we are both minors (im 14), and the police werent really
> involved, there will be no record. just dont go back and dont
> shoplift again. its perfectly normal to be scared after that, i
know
> i was. hope i helped. good luck!