Shoplifting at Target, $16

**vmuser** · 09-30-2008, 12:51 PM

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Texas

A week ago I was caught shoplifting at Target. The items in question cost about $16 total. A man in plainclothes stopped me outside the store and asked me to return the items. I took them out of my purse and he held my wrists together and led me to the assets protection room (I think that's what it said on the wall). He called a female employee into the room on a walkie and she took a seat beside him.
I wasn't handcuffed or restrained in any way after I was in the room. The man that stopped me asked me if I had anything else in my purse to return, and I said no. I offered to let him search my purse and pockets. He only searched my purse, and found nothing.
He asked for my name and I gave him my driver's license and phone number to make things easier (my name is sort of difficult for some people to spell). I told him I usually pay for things and I don't know why I shoplifted this time, since I never do it. I told him how I had bought a cell phone and a bunch of clothes from that same location and another location nearby, and I showed him the receipts. He told me that wasn't a good thing that I had been in there before.
He took my picture and took a picture of the items and then set the digital camera down.
I asked him if he had any legal literature and he gave me a printout with a disclaimer on it. I still have the paper. He gave me my license back and told me that I was not allowed into Target for up to seven years and that I may be hit with a fine.

I don't know who he was, or if he was an officer. I didn't sign anything. I haven't received anything in the mail, and haven't gotten any phone calls. No one read me any rights of any kind...I've never been in trouble before, so I don't know what to expect.

I read a lot of other threads, but all of them seem to involve the police being called and the shoplifter being held. They had me in and out in under twenty minutes.

If I don't get any calls or documents in the mail, should I be worried? Is there a number I can call to check the status of whatever I should be expecting? I can't afford legal defense...I'm a college student and I'm already so far into debt. What can I do to make this simple?

**Security Consultant** · 09-30-2008, 01:01 PM

You can expect a "civil demand" letter to arrive in the mail. This could take a few months. You can either pay it or not and face the possibility of a civil suit. It doesn't sound as there (from what you wrote) will be any criminal charges, and he was not required to read you your rights. You should stay out of Target.

Here's the statute of the "Texas Liability Act" PDF

**vmuser** · 09-30-2008, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the speedy response.
I am moving out of this apartment in a few weeks. Is there any way I can change the address that the civil demand letter is sent to? I don't want to risk it being lost in forwarded mail (which has happened to me before). I know the address of the apartment I will be moving into (we reserved it because the tenant's lease is up and they are not resigning).

**mmmagique** · 09-30-2008, 08:06 PM

Just have your mail forwarded.
Either go online to USPS.com, or go to your local post office.

(although sometimes having your mail forwarded can take a while)