shoplifting in CA, Help!

[jeffbronett]

What is the name of your state? CA
I am 19 years old and got caught shoplifting at macys in orange county in FEB. stealing a tshirt under my clothes, at 20$, took me into a room where i was told to wait until the local cop showed up where i had to sign stuff and got my photo taken... no arrest or jailtime..just got to leave.

a month later got a letter from macys saying i had to pay $195.00 for the item.
I paid it.

i have to appear in court next week for the misdemeanor, code cpc 484-488 petty theft

what can i expect to happen??
-any more fees$?
-jail?
-probation?
-is there a way to plea to a lesser crime?
-will this affect my transfering to csu school next year? travel outside the us?

any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
thanks.

 

[signat]

What is the name of your state? CA
I am 19 years old and got caught shoplifting at macys in orange county in FEB. stealing a tshirt under my clothes, at 20$, took me into a room where i was told to wait until the local cop showed up where i had to sign stuff and got my photo taken... no arrest or jailtime..just got to leave.

a month later got a letter from macys saying i had to pay $195.00 for the item.
I paid it.

i have to appear in court next week for the misdemeanor, code cpc 484-488 petty theft

what can i expect to happen??
-any more fees$?
-jail?
-probation?
-is there a way to plea to a lesser crime?
-will this affect my transfering to csu school next year? travel outside the us?

any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
thanks.

I would say probation if it is a first offense. You probably won't be able to leave the country while on it.

 

[snookman31]

I would say probation if it is a first offense. You probably won't be able to leave the country while on it.

The letter you got from Macy's demanding payment for $195.00 is called a Civil Demand Notice. Basically the state of California has passed a law which says retailors can seek civil resititution in addition to any criminal action filed. That money helps offset the need to have security and cameras and re-coop some of the money lost every year to theft. You can make arrangments with the company who sent you the letter about payments. You can ignore it but if this is your first offense you should pay it and be done with that part of it. (Court) You will most likely be offered a plea agreement which will consist of you paying the court cost and attending a "First Time Offender Course" once you complete it, the misdemeanor charge of shoplifting should be dropped off your record. This will show up as an arrest but non conviction, which still allows you to answer "No" if you ever have to answer the question about being convicted of a crime. You may have also signed what's called a "U.S.M.A" form. This is reported to the United States Merchants Association, basically most retail stores do a background check before hiring someone. If you have been apprehended for shoplifting and reported to the USMA and you apply for a job in retail, well your probably not going to get hired. It does not matter if you are found guilty in a court of law because USMA does not show that information. Just that you were apprehended at some point. Good luck and remember that even good people make a mistake once and a while. Learn from it and move on.

 

[jeffbronett]

another question..

thanks for all the feedback on my situation.. I have already paid the restitution to macys....
but in regards to the court side of things.. how much money can i expect to pay?

 

[zippysgoddess]

Wow! Where is IAAL and JetX? We finally have someone who shoplifted somewhere other than Wal-Mart!

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Wow! Where is IAAL and JetX? We finally have someone who shoplifted somewhere other than Wal-Mart!

My response:

I just saw this thread, and you took the words right out of my mouth!

I'm so thankful SOMEONE has the good sense to finally shoplift from a "classy" store, and not some trailer trash store like Wal-Mart.

I hope the future shoplifters that come here take note. You don't have to be trailer trash to shoplift. Get some class in your lives!!

IAAL

 

[jeffbronett]

Help!

thanks for all the feedback on my situation.. I have already paid the restitution to macys....
but in regards to the court side of things.. how much money can i expect to pay?

 

[jeffbronett]

does any one have any idea of how much $money$ i will have to pay after going to court??.. i have already paid the macys fee.
any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

First, how much money you'll need to pay IS NOT a legal question.

Second, we don't have a crystal ball.

Go away, and sin no more.

IAAL

 

[ENASNI]

I Dunno

It really depends.. There are some variables to work in.
Circumstance and location are a few. Sometimes fines are up to double the amount of the value of what was stolen. Sometimes the judge woke up with a number stuck in his head and that is what he is fining everyone that day.

Sometimes, there is no fine, maybe just the court costs for you taking up their time, and they want community service instead, because another truck full of cream of chicken soup, or frozen chickens just overturned on our California freeways, and someone has to pick them up.

It depends... start saving up your softdrink cans... recycle... use coupons. just in case.

 

[zippysgoddess]

This is too funny but I am amazed, I was beginning to thing Wal-Mart was the only store of choice for the serious shoplifter anymore!