What to do after being accused of shoplifting

When you are struggling to afford basic necessities and to feed your family, you’ll be feeling stressed and constantly worried about the future. Not having a job and still having bills to pay can mean that you are getting into debt very quickly.

If you were in a store and walked out without paying for an item, it may have been a mistake. However, if you were caught, you were probably accused of shoplifting. Being convicted of shoplifting will lead to a fine and possible jail time if you are a repeat offender. If you are worried about being found guilty of shoplifting, make sure that you understand how the law works and how you can defend yourself.

What is shoplifting?

There is a certain legal definition of shoplifting that you need to understand if you have been accused. The act of shoplifting means that you have purposefully hidden from view or taken an item that was for sale. If it can be proven that you did this in an attempt to take possession of the item without paying for it, you will be found guilty of shoplifting.

How can I defend myself from the crime of shoplifting?

If you want to argue that you are not guilty of shoplifting so that you can avoid facing charges, you will need to either show that you did not take an item from a store, or that you did not intentionally take an item from a store.

For example, you may be able to argue that your young child put an item in your bag without you seeing it, and you mistakenly walked out of the store without paying for it. Security cameras in the store may be able to help you provide proof of this.

It is important that you take action quickly so that you are able to defend yourself against shoplifting charges so that you can avoid fines and a criminal record.