Shoplifted from Best Buy and Got Caught

My question involves criminal law for the state of: New Jersey

I Shoplifted From My Local Best Buy but have a feeling i was caught by the CCTV Cameras. it was a 20$ iPhone Lightning Cable . I had the cable in my hand and i walked around the store for a good 20 minutes with it. I Know Best Buy Has Alot Of Cameras , But I did it anyway. i Went to the laundry section which had little to no cameras , and i snooped around there for a bit. Then i looked inside a loundry machine , took the item out of the box , and hid the cable in my pocket. Then i went to the bathroom and hid it in my shoe . 10 minutes later i walked out of the store causally and got into a car and left. No one took down my plates. My Question is : Does best buy know i shoplifted ? i Left the empty box in the washing machine closed .No one stopped me on my way out , nor did anyone say anything. Will they notice the missing item and check the tapes? can i be identified ? will best buy detain me if i return possibly in two weeks ? Or will they just call it profit loss and move on . I Have Seen How The CCTV Guys work in that store. They Barely Do Anything But Sit Around And Talk . They Rarely Check Your Receipt Too !
i Feel Guilty for doing what i did , but it was for someone close to me . I'm never shoplifting again. The Stress Will Kill Me and getting caught will ruin my future.

So you risked a criminal conviction for a $20 item for a friend? You have a puzzling decision-making paradigm. Methinks you may have another issue or two going on if your practicing some very risky behavior.

They may, or may not come after you. No one really knows. Is your stress level and possible future ruination worth $20 to ya?

I Know. It was for a close friend. :/
I'm Just afraid to go back. My mom might take me there. I don't want problems

Yep, they have found the box, checked the cameras and are looking for you to re-appear.

This is what happens:

When the empty box is found, it is tagged and given to LP. LP then can run the tapes and produce a photo of you. If you go shopping with your mom and they recognize you, they can detain you.

I threw it in a washing machine tho. Do you think if they find it let's say 2 Days later, They'll go trough the trouble of viewing the recordings and producing an image ?

Yep. Being thrown in a washing machine is a sign of a shoplifter having been there.

You can bet they charge you....that full tape will be shown in court. From entering the store, to taking the item off the shelf, to "looking inside" the washer, to a trip to the bathroom, to exiting the store....

They have very good cameras........

So When is it safe to return to that best buy ? I won't shoplift there anymore.

Quote:

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Quoting hackingprodigy

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So When is it safe to return to that best buy ? I won't shoplift there anymore.

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The statute of limitations for theft in NJ is 5 years.

For theft under 200 $
I thought it was one year. Besides what are the chances of me being recognized ? They don't know my name. They just know what I look like. Besides they have no evidence of me keeping the cable. I could have just left it somewhere in the bathroom.