Stealing Merchandise After a Personal Check Was Declined

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Maine

So everything I was going to buy was rung up by the cashier. It wasn't quite $170.00 My personal check declined so she suspended the order and a manager came over. I asked him if he could override the decline and he said no. I believe the intent was for him to walk me to the service desk although I'm not positive. He walked fast and ahead of me. I had my cart - all bagged and the suspended "receipt" in hand. I stood at the customer service area. He was gone. I looked around a few times and there were people in line, the manager out of sight.

The guy at the door had no clue anything was up because I had the "receipt" in hand. I know there are cameras everywhere. I walked briskly to my car, threw everything in as fast as I could & left. Again, I know there are cameras.

What are the chances they'll track me down? I know my license is on file b/c I've written many checks before & they never ask for my license so therefore it's on record. How good are the cameras in the parking lot? Wouldn't the manager have to specifically recognize me if the loss prevention people go to him? Will the information in the system be my downfall? It's probably pretty easy to connect my check to my license and/or license plate number. What might happen?

I feel guilty enough that I'd go tomorrow & pay it with cash but I'm afraid that would just open a can of worms. PLEASE HELP! I know I am very bad for having done this.

You need a Criminal Defense Attorney today.

Do not be surprised if you are visited by a police officer to arrest you.

Your info will be on file. I mean, gee, your name, address, phone number, and likely Drivers License number will be on the check, and the declined check will be on file. You will likely be on security tape. And it is very possible that the store had security camera in the parking lot, so your license plate and you will likely be on tape.

At this point...I would avoid any and all WalMarts/Sam's in your area. And if the cops come to your door, keep your hands in full view.

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Quoting Canderson

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My question involves criminal law for the state of: Maine

So everything I was going to buy was rung up by the cashier. It wasn't quite $170.00 My personal check declined so she suspended the order and a manager came over. I asked him if he could override the decline and he said no. I believe the intent was for him to walk me to the service desk although I'm not positive. He walked fast and ahead of me. I had my cart - all bagged and the suspended "receipt" in hand. I stood at the customer service area. He was gone. I looked around a few times and there were people in line, the manager out of sight.

The guy at the door had no clue anything was up because I had the "receipt" in hand. I know there are cameras everywhere. I walked briskly to my car, threw everything in as fast as I could & left. Again, I know there are cameras.

What are the chances they'll track me down? I know my license is on file b/c I've written many checks before & they never ask for my license so therefore it's on record. How good are the cameras in the parking lot? Wouldn't the manager have to specifically recognize me if the loss prevention people go to him? Will the information in the system be my downfall? It's probably pretty easy to connect my check to my license and/or license plate number. What might happen?

I feel guilty enough that I'd go tomorrow & pay it with cash but I'm afraid that would just open a can of worms. PLEASE HELP! I know I am very bad for having done this.

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how did you end up with a receipt if your check was declined? The receipt is not printed until payment is tendered AND ACCEPTED. Given that Walmart uses check readers and if the check is not accepted, there is no receipt printed.

Sorry but this doesn't pass the smell test. I think the trolls have breached the walls.

The receipt likely wasn't a receipt, I had problems getting a card reader to accept my card at Sam's club, the cashier suggested I try a different register she suspended the transaction, it printed what looked like a receipt, and had me take that to customer service. At the customer service desk, the scanned the bar code on the "receipt" and they were able to bring the transaction up at their register. I imagine this is exactly what the OP is talking about.

I don't know how good WalMart's video is, but here is Casey Anthony shopping at Target and you can clearly see what she purchased and clearly see her signing the check. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62VAwKtkqMw

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Quoting brownj12

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The receipt likely wasn't a receipt, I had problems getting a card reader to accept my card at Sam's club, the cashier suggested I try a different register she suspended the transaction, it printed what looked like a receipt, and had me take that to customer service. At the customer service desk, the scanned the bar code on the "receipt" and they were able to bring the transaction up at their register. I imagine this is exactly what the OP is talking about.

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then it wasn't a receipt but simply a tally of the items presented for purchase. It obviously did not indicate the receipt of payment (since none was tendered and accepted) ergo; it was not a receipt.



but since the OP had tendered a check and it was apparently run through the check reader, depending on why it was declined (unreadable or just outright denied), it would likely make a difference as to what information was retained in the computer system. If it was unreadable, depending on what could not be read, there may be no identifying information. If it was able to be read but denied for other reasons, there is likely plenty of identifying information to be able to find the OP.


on top of that, as op noted; there are a lot of cameras.

so, how good are the cameras?

Walmart didn't get to be the size they are by scrimping where it counts. Shrinkage is a huge issue so I suspect all the info needed to identify the OP is available from the video.

So not trolling, jk. Wish I were. brownj12 was correct in that suspending the order means they can bring it up at another register or even a later time in the day (for example if someone leaves their wallet in the car...).

I want to make it right & drop off the cash but I figure I'll be arrested on the spot.


http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Ca...314_n.jpg.html

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Ca...125_n.jpg.html

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Oh crap. I just looked at the Telecheck slip and I'm definitely going to get caught. It's got my stupid checking account number on it. Does anyone think I should take in the cash? I won't have it until tomorrow.

Do you honestly believe ANYONE on this forum is going to tell you to just go ahead and be a thief?

I hope you don't have children.

Walmart has cameras at every register on the same post as the register (open) light. They are very good. The also have cameras all along their front end operation. I had an expert witness case and when reviewing the video I was able to see everything that was scanned (and not scanned) as well what was hand keyed. Extremely good clarity.

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Canderson;802500]So not trolling, jk. Wish I were. brownj12 was correct in that suspending the order means they can bring it up at another register or even a later time in the day (for example if someone leaves their wallet in the car...).

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accepted but your use of the term "receipt" was erroneous and that is what I based my statement on.

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Oh crap. I just looked at the Telecheck slip and I'm definitely going to get caught. It's got my stupid checking account number on it. Does anyone think I should take in the cash? I won't have it until tomorrow.

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well, I guess that answers my question of whether the check data was readable.




as to what to do; the obvious is rather what you shouldn't have done but since you are where you are, it's really going to be your call. They can prosecute whether you pay the money or not. You already stole the merchandise and you can's undo that. Whether they will or won't prosecute and if paying it makes any difference, only they can answer that one.

I worked retail and had customers who forgot their credit cards. We were able to put aside their bags and...not a receipt..but the suspended list, so when/if they came back later, we could just type in all the UPC's again instead of unbagging, rescanning, rebagging.

Gee, could they charge that as 39 separate incidents of theft or would they charge it as theft by deception since they showed a fake receipt when exiting?

I don't wanna think about that one. OP made a choice to take the stuff and walk out.

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Quoting PandorasBox

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I don't wanna think about that one. OP made a choice to take the stuff and walk out.

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Maybe.

What if the check still clears?...despite the fact that it didn't clear their check cashing system?

Don't know about that. I just put the check through the register and it cleared.

Here's one way to look at this. If you think you are going to be arrested anyway, then why not get arrested while attempting to pay for your mistake. It may make no difference that you are paying for it after the fact but if nothing else it allows you to control the arrest time and place.
If you head to the store with the money and the belief that you are going to be arrested then you can plan ahead, neighbor given a key and asked to feed the dog and water the plants while you are gone vs them showing up at your door in the middle of cooking a large meal that you can't put away or arrange for anything else to be taken care of while you are gone.

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Quoting llworking

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Maybe.

What if the check still clears?...despite the fact that it didn't clear their check cashing system?

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They suspended the transaction so it wouldn't continue trying to process the check even if it worked that way. The only way to have the check "reconsidered" is to re-run it.

Trying to get a check accepted the same day when it has been denied would be a Herculean task because of the hoops you have to jump through to clear the denial. At least, that was my experience in retail.

A point of information about check clearing (at least my understanding of it) is that when a store like Wal-Mart runs a check it is compared to the Certegy network database. It does not go to any bank for clearing or for account balance verification. The check is later electronically transmitted to the bank overnight usually after closing.

If a check doesn't clear the Certegy database it means the account has bounced a check in the past or the account has been 'closed for cause' by the bank.

Budwad is correct. If you want to get into the vagaries of all this there are sub forums over on credit boards.

SecurityConsulant is right. I've seen WalMart video of guys buying gift cards that was good enough to read the writing on patches on their sleeves that was used in subsequent prosecutions. If I was going to be involved in something I wanted anonymity I'd avoid doing any part of it at WalMart (even buying my tools).