Can a Store Detain a Minor They Catch Stealing

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Quoting LawResearcherMissy

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And what rights do you think those might be? LP doesn't have to wait for your parents to show up to question you. The cops don't either, until you're placed under arrest. Investigative interrogation, it's called, and it's 100% legal.



Nope. Once you conceal the item, you have stolen it in the eyes of the law, even if you put it back later.

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I guess as a minor I have no rights, and my parents should not be notified when I'm in trouble or arrested until after I'm in a cell for a few hours instead of right away. I'll remember that for future preferences, thanks for the help. BTW I never stole in my life until I met the girl I was with, it taught me a lesson don't be friends w/ bums.

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Quoting LawResearcherMissy

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Your parents are dumb.
If you were my kid, I would have blistered your ass and made quite certain that you understood that you'd be suffering the consequences of your actions for a good long while, to drill it into your thick skull that theft is a crime.

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My parents infact are not dumb, you don't know the whole situation or anything that went on that day except the brief description. I'm sorry they aren't smart in your parenting book. But the way the whole situation unravelled is worth the research. Regardless, I'm going to do my consequences given to me from the event that happened so please stop responding, because you don't know me, nor the whole situation. I asked you politely. Thank you.

I guess maybe you shouldn't commit crimes and then you won't have to worry about your parents being notified.

One more time. IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT UNDER THE LAW TO HAVE YOUR PARENTS PRESENT. Not unless the cops are there AND you've been arrested.

If they're focusing more on a perceived (but non-existent) violation of your rights and not on the fact that their child is a thief, then yes, in my book they're stupid.

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Quoting cbg

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I guess maybe you shouldn't commit crimes and then you won't have to worry about your parents being notified.

One more time. IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT UNDER THE LAW TO HAVE YOUR PARENTS PRESENT. Not unless the cops are there AND you've been arrested.

If they're focusing more on a perceived (but non-existent) violation of your rights and not on the fact that their child is a thief, then yes, in my book they're stupid.

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My items infact WERE purchased. My friends items were not, my parents are NOT stupid, in fact I am. I was the one who let my friend put her stolen shit in my bags because I had a receipt for my items. So actually don't talk down on my parents talk down on me for being a push-over friend. Thank you.

"I was the one who let my friend put her stolen shit in my bags because I had a receipt for my items."

Ironically, I was just reading the "sticky" here on excuses NOT to use in court for shoplifting and came across number 6 "I was influenced by a bad crowd".

Gail

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Quoting cbg

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I guess maybe you shouldn't commit crimes and then you won't have to worry about your parents being notified.

One more time. IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT UNDER THE LAW TO HAVE YOUR PARENTS PRESENT. Not unless the cops are there AND you've been arrested.

If they're focusing more on a perceived (but non-existent) violation of your rights and not on the fact that their child is a thief, then yes, in my book they're stupid.

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I am not entirely sure that what is being posted is accurate. Even the police don't hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s). I think that it could be quite questionable for a retailer to hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s).

That doesn't change the fact that they have the absolute right to stop a minor from shoplifting and to hold the minor pending notification of the minor's parents or the police. However, forcing the minor to sign documents without a parent present is really iffy.

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Quoting gail in georgia

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"I was the one who let my friend put her stolen shit in my bags because I had a receipt for my items."

Ironically, I was just reading the "sticky" here on excuses NOT to use in court for shoplifting and came across ?number 5? "My bad friends made me do this".

Gail

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The Loss Prevention guy told my father, and as did the cops they knew who the Ring Master was because I was the youngest out of us both, and I was stuck in the loss prevention room with HER daughter when she left me there to be detained. But she didn't get far just know that, but my question was answered so the replies can stop

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Quoting llworking

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I am not entirely sure that what is being posted is accurate. Even the police don't hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s). I think that it could be quite questionable for a retailer to hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s).

That doesn't change the fact that they have the absolute right to stop a minor from shoplifting and to hold the minor pending notification of the minor's parents or the police. However, forcing the minor to sign documents without a parent present is really iffy.

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They did not let me notify my parents until the paper was signed.

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Quoting llworking

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I am not entirely sure that what is being posted is accurate. Even the police don't hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s). I think that it could be quite questionable for a retailer to hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s).

That doesn't change the fact that they have the absolute right to stop a minor from shoplifting and to hold the minor pending notification of the minor's parents or the police. However, forcing the minor to sign documents without a parent present is really iffy.

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Rhode Island is not one of those states that require the LP to call a parent within a certain time frame. The fact is once the police were called (OP said that at one point they were there) it is the responsibility of the police to notify the parent. They can do that at the LP office or at the police station.

As far as documents signed - what documents did the OP sign? If is was a ban from the retailer, that is not a legal document it is a notice. If the OP signed a statement, that is not a legal document and is the retailer's paperwork.

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Quoting llworking

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I am not entirely sure that what is being posted is accurate. Even the police don't hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s). I think that it could be quite questionable for a retailer to hold a minor without immediate notification of the minor's parent(s).

That doesn't change the fact that they have the absolute right to stop a minor from shoplifting and to hold the minor pending notification of the minor's parents or the police. However, forcing the minor to sign documents without a parent present is really iffy.

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And if the parents are not contactable? What then?

Yes, a minor can be held - even by the police - without the consent of the parents. The issue then would be whether or not the evidence would be admissible.

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Quoting Security Consultant

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Rhode Island is not one of those states that require the LP to call a parent within a certain time frame. The fact is once the police were called (OP said that at one point they were there) it is the responsibility of the police to notify the parent. They can do that at the LP office or at the police station.

As far as documents signed - what documents did the OP sign? If is was a ban from the retailer, that is not a legal document it is a notice. If the OP signed a statement, that is not a legal document and is the retailer's paperwork.

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I was in the room for an hour and a half before my parents were notified and I was requested to speak to my father, the police didn't speak to him I did. I also don't know what I signed they guy did not give me a chance to read it, because he was rushing me to get everything done with because he was dealing with two people. Myself and the 18 yr old I was with.

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Quoting Dogmatique

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And if the parents are not contactable? What then?

Yes, a minor can be held - even by the police - without the consent of the parents. The issue then would be whether or not the evidence would be admissible.

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They were.

Kid, you are just not getting it, are you? LP was well within the law to detain and question you. It doesn't matter how much you whine about it. Your rights were not violated.

As for who responds to your insipid moaning? Anyone can, whether you like it or not. I'm the moderator here, little thief, not you. Learn to take your lumps.