Caught Shoplifting in Scheels

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Iowa

i was stoped the other day because i had picked up a lanyard at a store and then i was talking with some people and not thinking put the lanyard in my pocket after i walked around for a while just not thinking about the lanyard i put in my hooded sweat shirt pocket. me and a friend started to leave and i hadn't left the store and a man came up and graped me hard on the arm and said you have some of our stuff you haven't paid for i said excuse me and he said check your pocket i did and i explained what happened and im sorry he said sure and asked if i have ever been arressted and said no and he laughed kinda of he took me up stairs he never said his name nor shown me a badge. i went up stairs they called an officer in and he told me that i have a court date and charges i have to pay the store money and i was going to buy the item i just forgot a simple mistake, do they have the right to treat me like this?

The short answer is yes. You'd be well advised to consult a lawyer before your court date.

Oh you want to play the forgot game, you took the item, you concealed the item, and then you left the store without paying for the item. That means you stole the item. There are many other things attached than i just forgot, if you were stopped then they have more evidence against you. Dont make up a story to have people feel sorry for you as im sure you left many things out, Im also sure the officer that stopped you has a complete different version of how things happened. I am also sure that they probably have the entire event on video so you might want to think twice about watching yourself steal an item in a courtroom unless you dont mind seeing yourself steal. You got caught, just man up and face the punishment and dont steal again. pay your fine and move on.

What percentage of people who shoplift do you think pull the "oh, I forgot to pay for it" line? (HINT: probably all of them)

Even if you are one of the few who genuinely did forget, the odds of your being believed are slim. The majority of people who use that line actually did shoplift; why should they believe you are any different?

Add to it....you put it in your pocket.