Arrested for Shoplifting Despite Innocence

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Florida



A young woman who didn't identify herself grabbed me forcefully by the arm and pulled me to some back room when I was attempting to get a cart past the registers because I could no longer carry the items that were in my bags for they were too heavy. She said that I was shoplifting; she was very rude telling me that I needed to give up everything that I had because it wasn't mine. when I proceeded to explain that I was merely going for the cart and that of course that stuff isn't mine some other male person spoke to me as If I was a dog yelling for me to "shut up" "who's gonna believe you" etc. They said they had footage of me on the cameras placing things in bags and when I tried to see what they were accusing me of they did not let me see and the woman yelled at me to sit down and not move or touch my phone. She also went in my purse without asking insinuating that I was stealing the purse and that if the umbrella inside said purse was mine making the same insinuation. I told her I bought them at Walmart but I came into the store with them and she rolled her eyes.

The officer who arrested me all but said he could tell from talking to me that I wasn't trying to shoplift but as to how the law is written he has to take me to jail. Individuals in jail (officers, etc) that I spoke to about what happened felt so sorry for me and that I shouldn't have been there.

Perhaps bagging my items in the bags, walking past the registers to get the cart, etc. were not the best ideas in retrospect whoever these are practices that I always do. No one has ever said anything to me- there were even times in the past when I would tell a passing employee that I needed a cart and I'd be told to just walk right outside the doors with my items ( not the main exit doors to the parking lot)and just get it and I'd come right back in paying only for what I could.

I have no family, come from an abusive background and I have a little over $21 in my account. However, I can proudly say that I am 21yrs old, never been in trouble in my entire life and all on my own I am two semesters away from graduating with a degree in Public Health and hopefully going to the military to be doctor. I don't have money for a lawyer, I don't know anything about law and I'm so disturbed from the embarrassment, aggression, shot to my character and having to spend a night in a cell that I might be developing PTSD. Can you please help me? I was charged with petit theft 1st degree

Thank you

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Quoting armypremed

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My question involves criminal law for the state of: Florida



A young woman who didn't identify herself grabbed me forcefully by the arm and pulled me to some back room when I was attempting to get a cart past the registers because I could no longer carry the items that were in my bags for they were too heavy. She said that I was shoplifting; she was very rude telling me that I needed to give up everything that I had because it wasn't mine. when I proceeded to explain that I was merely going for the cart and that of course that stuff isn't mine some other male person spoke to me as If I was a dog yelling for me to "shut up" "who's gonna believe you" etc. They said they had footage of me on the cameras placing things in bags and when I tried to see what they were accusing me of they did not let me see and the woman yelled at me to sit down and not move or touch my phone. She also went in my purse without asking insinuating that I was stealing the purse and that if the umbrella inside said purse was mine making the same insinuation. I told her I bought them at Walmart but I came into the store with them and she rolled her eyes.

The officer who arrested me all but said he could tell from talking to me that I wasn't trying to shoplift but as to how the law is written he has to take me to jail. Individuals in jail (officers, etc) that I spoke to about what happened felt so sorry for me and that I shouldn't have been there.

Perhaps bagging my items in the bags, walking past the registers to get the cart, etc. were not the best ideas in retrospect whoever these are practices that I always do. No one has ever said anything to me- there were even times in the past when I would tell a passing employee that I needed a cart and I'd be told to just walk right outside the doors with my items ( not the main exit doors to the parking lot)and just get it and I'd come right back in paying only for what I could.

I have no family, come from an abusive background and I have a little over $21 in my account. However, I can proudly say that I am 21yrs old, never been in trouble in my entire life and all on my own I am two semesters away from graduating with a degree in Public Health and hopefully going to the military to be doctor. I don't have money for a lawyer, I don't know anything about law and I'm so disturbed from the embarrassment, aggression, shot to my character and having to spend a night in a cell that I might be developing PTSD. Can you please help me? I was charged with petit theft 1st degree

Thank you

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What was the value of what you stole?

Apply for a public defender and fight it in court.

If the criminal charges are dismissed, don't pay the civil demand.

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Perhaps bagging my items in the bags, walking past the registers to get the cart,

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what kind of bags did you put the merchandise in?

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Quoting bam!

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What was the value of what you stole?

Apply for a public defender and fight it in court.

If the criminal charges are dismissed, don't pay the civil demand.

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$201.20
It was only food items and cosmetics (shampoo, listerine, etc)

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reusable cloth shopping bags

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and I had a personal bag that I stuck a glass food scale and two bottles of nesquick in (it was open though not concealing that the items were in there) and that's when I decided that I should just get the cart and put the items in so they wouldn't have to be in my bag and so that nothing would break or the cloth bag potentially ripping

If you only have $21 in your account, how did you intend to pay for the $201 shopping bill??

Did you have the cash on hand? A credit card?

You have a couple of problems it will be nearly impossible to overcome;

putting metchandise in the "personal bag" and going beyond the registers to
get a cart.

The third issue is that from what you posted, there is no apparent means for you to
have paid for the merchandise. If you had no means available, you have no defense what so ever

I had $100 in cash and I had my debit and credit card. The current $21 is after the fact (I still had to get food after getting arrested so I went to publix, I had to get meds etc)

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Quoting armypremed

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I had $100 in cash and I had my debit and credit card. The current $21 is after the fact (I still had to get food after getting arrested so I went to publix, I had to get meds etc)

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My advice is only going to be of assistance for the future.

Every time you go into a store that has shopping carts you need to automatically get one. Stop attempting to carry your items without a cart. That way you won't ever have to worry about going back to get a cart.