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Getting caught stealing but writing a confession

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Giaxox3

Junior Member
After being with the bank for 9 months I took $1000. I was called to the ops office and I wrote down a confession. They thanked me for being honest and I had to talk to the regional manager. She fired me and said to give back my name tag and keys. I guess my question is why would them make me write down a confession and what do you think will happen.
Massachusetts
 


quincy

Senior Member
After being with the bank for 9 months I took $1000. I was called to the ops office and I wrote down a confession. They thanked me for being honest and I had to talk to the regional manager. She fired me and said to give back my name tag and keys. I guess my question is why would them make me write down a confession and what do you think will happen.
Massachusetts

I think you signed away your defense with your written and signed confession. Honesty is rarely the best policy when it comes to admitting to a crime.

What I recommend you do now is to find a criminal defense attorney in your area to see what s/he can do for you, this once you are arrested and charged.

Good luck.
 

Giaxox3

Junior Member
What do you think I should of done? If I lie they would of don't so investing and it would of been worse
 

justalayman

Senior Member
I have never been I trouble before. Do you think they would still press charges

Given you are dealing with a bank I would just about guarantee they will prosecute. They can't afford to appear forgiving when they catch a thief. If they appear weak it will not deter others from attempting to steal from them as well.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Wouldn't they have arrested me then and there

They don't arrest. The police do. If they do intend to prosecute the matter they will turn over the info they have to the police or prosecutor. The prosecutor is who decides if you are actually prosecuted. If the prosecutor files charges they will then arrest you and start the process of prosecuting you.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Wouldn't they have arrested me then and there

And an immediate arrest was not necessary. The police/prosecutor have a written confession signed by you. The police can pick you up at any time.

I recommend that you prepare for this by finding a good criminal defense attorney and by practicing saying to the police, "I want to exercise my right to remain silent." Direct all police questions to your attorney and remain silent.
 

TigerD

Senior Member
I think you signed away your defense with your written and signed confession. Honesty is rarely the best policy when it comes to admitting to a crime.

What I recommend you do now is to find a criminal defense attorney in your area to see what s/he can do for you, this once you are arrested and charged.

Good luck.

I have to disagree. Honesty is the best policy in every situation. However, declining to sign a confession is not an act of dishonesty.

TD
 

quincy

Senior Member
I have to disagree. Honesty is the best policy in every situation. However, declining to sign a confession is not an act of dishonesty.

TD

You can disagree. And I am a big believer in honesty.

But I also believe that being honest when asked if you committed a crime is not smart and signing a confession admitting you committed a crime is even less smart.

What Giaxox3 got for his honesty was a "thank you for being honest" and his employment was terminated (although the termination from his job was probably going to be an end result for him regardless). His honesty has left him and his attorney with the monumental task of fashioning a defense that will keep him out of jail (although it might benefit him when working out a plea agreement, if that is what you are thinking).

At any rate, when you are suspected of committing a crime (or even caught committing a crime), I believe that nothing should be said at all rather than being honest (or dishonest) - until one has had the chance to speak to an attorney.
 

Eekamouse

Senior Member
What do you think I should of done? If I lie they would of don't so investing and it would of been worse

Worse how? Did they not discover all of your thievery and you're worried an investigation would reveal theft on a bigger scale?
 

LeeHarveyBlotto

Senior Member
Amazing what people will do for a paltry sum. If I was going to risk ruining my life, there would be a hell of a lot more zeroes in the numbers involved.
 

PaulMass

Member
Wouldn't they have arrested me then and there

They could have, but they didn't.

They can call the police and report the crime. The police can file an application for criminal complaint in the courthouse having jurisdiction over the city/town where the bank is located.

Assuming the clerk finds probable cause, a summons or warrant will issue. A summons will be mailed to your house with a date certain to appear before the court. A warrant may or may not be mailed to your house, but the police may show up with the warrant in hand before the mail is delivered.

If the police find you they will arrest you in the straight warrant and brought before the court to be arraigned. If the police that arrest you are not within the geographical jurisdiction of the court that issued the warrant, you may be held for transport to the court that issued the warrant. So if you get arrested Thursday evening, you'll spend the night in the police station lockup, brought to court Friday morning, and held for transport to the court that issued the warrant. That won't happen the same day, so you'll spend the weekend in the county jail and will be brought to court Monday morning (assuming Monday is not a holiday).

If you learn there is a warrant issued, you should consider high tailing it to the court that issued the warrant to avoid being locked up.

Once you get to court, you'll first talk to probation to see if you qualify for a court appointed attorney. If you're locked up, they'll come find you.

Once in front of the judge, the prosecutor may or may not ask for a bail or other bail conditions. If the prosecutor is asking for any amount of bail, the bar advocate will argue on your behalf. This is not the time to argue the merits of your case. This is a bail hearing only.

If you qualify for a court appointed attorney, one will be appointed for a fee. The fee is $150 if your income is below the poverty level, or $300 if under 125% of the poverty level.

Larceny over $250 is a felony and carries a maximum sentence of state prison for five years. In order to sentence you to that, the DA would have to indict you and bind you over to the Superior Court.

If the District Court retains jurisdiction, the maximum penalty is two years in jail.

What the DA will offer for a plea depends on the county you are in. If you are in Worcester County with no record, I suspect your attorney could plead it down to larceny under $250 (misdemeanor) and get straight probation. Middlesex county likes to send people to jail.
 

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