Juvenile petty theft - parent in need of help
My usually level headed daughter did some dumb stuff today, and we need help.
Her friend and her (both 15) decided to steal from a retail store.
1. They ea. take perfume (12.99) and shorts (12.00) and stockings (7.99), total value each under $50.00
2. I had driven to pick them up at mall and I'm waiting in the car for them to leave the mall.
3. LC person approaches them 3 stores down and tell the two girls to follow him back to the store with "his stuff".
4. They follow him and he and a female LC person put them into a room and start to "process them"
5. I get daughter on cell phone, and she says, "I'm in trouble"! I say, "where are you at"? She says, store name and "in the room here".
6. I run into store and ask to find a room where my minor child is with someone from their store and she is having some sort of trouble. I ask is she ill?
7. Asst mgr says, "they won't let her out or you in". I reiterate, "she is a minor child, what is the problem"?
8. I wait 30 minutes outside of a locked door with my daughter and her friend in the room with these LC folks.
9. According to the minors', The LC folks were calling their boss to see if it was true that they had to let me in, and even when their boss told them "Yes", they still refused me entry!
10. Female LC was singing, cursing, and took my daughter's phone away so she could not call me. She cheered after police were called.....
11. I went to call the police and tell them that these folks were holding these minors and they said, "they just rec'd a call, and they were on their way now".
12. I was let into the room about 5 minutes before police showed up.
13. LC had asked them what they took, and the girls took it out of their bag and gave it back to them.
Police said since value was less than $50.00, a ticket would be issued and both were released to me.
Ticket says:
490.1 PC-Petty Theft First Offense
602 WIC-Minor commit crime
The officer did not circle Misdemenor or Infraction.
Q1. What is the best route to handle this?
Q2. Is this a misdemenor or an infraction?
Q3. Officer said "community service might be an option"
Q4. Can I get it thrown out because they would not let me in the room with them?
Q5. No contest still means guilty, so what is the point?
Q6. Store paperwork says their names will be submitted to Choice Point, a credit reporting agency for submission into a retail theft database, "Esteem". Can they add a minor's info into such a database?
Q7. Should I ask the judge if it can be logged as an infraction?
All advise is appreciated. I don't want my daughter's life ruined for $32.00.
Thanks,
Mother of a child's with a bigerror
Re: Parent in need of juvinile petty theft help!
I work in the Loss Prevention profession which who most likely arrest her. I wil address your questions below
Q1. What is the best route to handle this?(Accept what plea deal offered)
Q2. Is this a misdemenor or an infraction?(It is a misdemeanor)
Q3. Officer said "community service might be an option"(Cleaning freeway etc is CS)
Q4. Can I get it thrown out because they would not let me in the room with them?(Possibly yes as they should have let you in there but you will be teaching your daughter how not to face her wrongdoing and could do this again)
Q5. No contest still means guilty, so what is the point?(No contest is better even though penalty is same that would be excellent idea)
Q6. Store paperwork says their names will be submitted to Choice Point, a credit reporting agency for submission into a retail theft database, "Esteem". Can they add a minor's info into such a database?(Yes but once they trun adult its sealed so its no biggie)
Q7. Should I ask the judge if it can be logged as an infraction?(You can ask anything and depending on your state laws it could be one)
All advise is appreciated. I don't want my daughter's life ruined for $32.00.(Put the blame where it belongs! Your daughter made a choice willingly! By trying to find escape for her you are enabling her and teaching her not to own up to her wrongdoing! I agree try to minimize penatly but she should be punished she did wrong! You will also most likely get a letter from a civil recovery service asking for money outside of court fines. This is legal and will be around $200.00 or so but could be up to $1000.00 dont worry for small amount it will be around the $200.00 thsi will go to YOU as she is minor and YOU will have to pay it or your credit is ruined! Best thing is make your daughter atoned for her wrongdoing and learn from it its hardly going to ruin her life and DONT baby her unless youwant her doing it again expecting you to save her!
Re: Parent in need of juvinile petty theft help!
Thank you panther 10758 for your responce. We are in the county of Los Angeles in California.
I understand facing responsibility regarding my daughter... However, I don't see how having this over her head is going to motivate her to be a productive member of society!
Los Angeles is tough on kids, and unfairly so, in my opinion.
If the LC person was out of line, by approaching them 3 stores away, by withholding them from me for 30 minutes, by cursing at them, by taking their cell phones away, by ignoring my daughter's hyperventalation, etc., they too need to be held accountable!
I really need to know what the 602 code means, and I need to know how to get this as an infraction instead of a misdemeanor and if you know where I might obtain this data and care to help that would be great.
By the way, my daughter will be a non-proud member of the local boot-camp, be sure of that.....and the car at 16 is a no-go due to this.
Thanks,
Bigerror..
Re: Parent in need of juvinile petty theft help!
I am also on So Cal you rlegal question on infraction you can ask DA but I dont think you can but ask DA. The LC is who? Loss Prevention if you feel they were out of line or denied either you or your daughter your rights contact Store Manager to complain
Re: Parent in need of juvinile petty theft help!
The LC people called store mgr (or their mgr) for help, and that person told them to unlock door and let me in, but they (LC) laughed, cursed and waited another 10 minutes before letting me in. They wanted to finish their report before the police arrived. The cheering upon direction to call police bothers me.
Since you are in the business, what do you make of their attitudes? The girls were silently crying.
Do you take away cell phones so that the people can't call the parents? Do you call the police for $32.00? Isn't that a waste of resources? Don't get me wrong, the job of catching them was good work, even if you ignore the fact that they "watch" all young girls in stores alone...and they should!
Do they really have camera's in the dressing rooms since 9/11? I'm just curious about that one..
Thanks in advance.
Bigerror
Re: Parent in need of juvinile petty theft help!
so many questions ...just kidding lets address each one. You had every right to be there the laughing and delayin allowing you to enter is good cause to contact stores corporate office and file complaint. She is a minor and you had a right to be in there unless for some reason you gave them reason to suspect you would delay or cause a problem with processing. the cheering is just childish behavior ignore it but mention it when you call corporate. Yes you take cell phones so process go smoother you imagine the direspect LP gets with some young and older subjects. They talk on their phone or arrange some sort of rescue or misinformation. The LP calls parents tells them not the subject who could try to enrage a parent when fault was their own for theft! Prosecute for $32.00 some stores proecute everyone its that simple and no its not a waste of resources. Many times a theft even a small one isnt first time by arresting person you could prevent future crimes and you send a message. Example my store was one who prosecuted all thefts and a neighbor ony if over $40.00 other store had much repeat theft from persons who were not arrested my store had none! With theft being so small its possible DA may decide to not pursue case but you child should still atone for wrongdoing. They do not or should not be targetting any gender race age etc however your claim may be your anger talking as you cant prove that statement let for get it. Cameras are NOT in dressing rooms anyone who told you so was lieing its againist the law! The are other ways to deal with theft using dressing rooms that are difficult but relax there are no cameras. Hope that helps
Re: Juvenile petty theft - parent in need of help
There is a support group in L.A.
I haven't checked it out myself yet.
Los Angeles C.A.S.A.
(Focus on Shoplifting/Theft)
Mondays 8:00 PM to 9:30
@ S.H.A.R.E.
5521 GROSVENOR BLVD. LA 90066
(one block west of Centinela Blvd. off of Jefferson Blvd.)
(310) 305-8878
or call Susan at (310) 558-3710
Re: Juvenile petty theft - parent in need of help
I am familar with that group and have mixed feeling on it but if you feel it will help go for it
Re: Juvenile petty theft - parent in need of help
The 602 PC is a trespass, so they were either issued a trespass warning or that will be brought up in court by the judge (telling them not to go back.) As far as not letting you in the room, it's a case by case call. I've seen parents come in totally hot and start swinging on LP's 'cause their little darlings are in trouble. Taking away phones is common too, for the same reasons Panther said. Most times if the LP take a moment to talk with you and explain what's going on then let you in, things go better. Laughing and making fun of them or cussing....is lack of training, unprofessional and shows no class, but probably not grounds for dropping charges. In most cases they will get community service or even theft classes. Ask if there is a diversion program, it can't hurt.
Re: Juvenile petty theft - parent in need of help
If you walk into the courtroom and tell the judge the charges should be dropped because of LP, I would bet my life it is only going to make things worse. Judges, especially juvenile court judges, are looking for accountability on the child's part, as well as the parent. The whole point of the juvenile justice system is to curb crime before it turns adult, hence the accountability. Bottom line, your kid broke the law. Both you and your child need to take responsibility for what happened. Was the LP out of line? Sounds like it. But it doesn't take away from the fact that your child committed a crime. I have never heard of a case being thrown out because a parent, or anyone for that matter, objected to the processing of a shoplifter. I would take your concerns up with the retailer and leave it at that.