Store Took Down the Wrong Address After Detaining a Shoplifter
My question involves criminal law for the state of: Illinois.
I was stopped for shoplifting two items at Target today, about $40-$50 worth. However, I had a lot more in my bag that they didn’t mention on. They didn’t ask to see my bag either (I think it’s illegal for them to do that without the police anyways, right?). Anyways, cops were not called. They took my picture, a picture+info of my ID, and asked me to sign a trespassing document stating I wouldn’t visit that specific store anymore. Needless to say I’m scarred for life and will never shoplift again.
The anxiety is not worth it. I’m mostly concerned about my address. When they wrote down my information, I didn’t even think of the fact that my drivers license has my old address in it. So whatever they wrote down, has my old information on it. If they send me something through the mail (to pay fines, for example) I won’t receive it. I guess I have two questions:
1) what are the chances of them reviewing their tapes and seeing I actually took more stuff than they thought, and calling the cops?
2) if they have my wrong address, can they still find me somehow? If so, how?
And also I suppose I have a third question, which is, if they were to send me a civil demand letter, and I wouldn’t receive it because it’s my old address, how bigger would my trouble be?
My anxiety is obviously through the roof and I have 100% learned my lesson here. It’s not worth it!
Re: Store Took Down the Wrong Address After Detaining a Shoplifter
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ijustmadeamistake
1) what are the chances of them reviewing their tapes and seeing I actually took more stuff than they thought, and calling the cops?
Somewhere between 0% and 100%. Seriously, there is no way for anyone to predict how motivated and industrious LP will be in following up. What you describe is certainly within their ability.
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ijustmadeamistake
2) if they have my wrong address, can they still find me somehow? If so, how?
There are ways to find a person’s new address. Again, it boils down to how much effort they are willing to put into tracking you down. But, bottom line is it doesn’t matter as I note below.
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ijustmadeamistake
And also I suppose I have a third question, which is, if they were to send me a civil demand letter, and I wouldn’t receive it because it’s my old address, how bigger would my trouble be
There are reasons that you are required by law to change the address on your driver’s license when you move. This is only one of them. If they send a civil demand or other correspondence to your address of record (which is what you gave them), it doesn’t matter that you don’t live there anymore. Legally, you have been notified and can be held accountable for whatever was sent.
Re: Store Took Down the Wrong Address After Detaining a Shoplifter
It won't make the issue go away, that's for sure. It could just escalate it into a criminal charge due to a lack of responsiveness on your part.
Re: Store Took Down the Wrong Address After Detaining a Shoplifter
Thank you for your reply, PTPD22. I have hanged my address with the DMV when I moved, I just didn’t get a new DL, I did their online process. Last night I ended up doing the usps mail forward thing to make sure I get anything that gets sent over to that address.
I think I would rather pay the civil demand just because I know I took more than what they stopped me for, so I’m scared they’ll try to go after me because of that. Sure maybe they haven’t found out if I’m lucky, but who knows if they reviewed footage after I left, there’s no way to know unfortunately. I’m just hoping it’s not something absurd that I can’t afford over less than $50 that they took back and wasn’t damaged. Anyways, I’m the criminal, I made the mistake and I’m willing to work with them.
If the amount of the civil demand is absurd, does anyone know if there’s a way to negotiate it or make monthly payments? And is that a guarantee that they won’t press charges, or at least they usually don’t?
Re: Store Took Down the Wrong Address After Detaining a Shoplifter
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PTPD22
Somewhere between 0% and 100%. Seriously, there is no way for anyone to predict how motivated and industrious LP will be in following up. What you describe is certainly within their ability.
There are ways to find a person’s new address. Again, it boils down to how much effort they are willing to put into tracking you down. But, bottom line is it doesn’t matter as I note below.
There are reasons that you are required by law to change the address on your driver’s license when you move. This is only one of them. If they send a civil demand or other correspondence to your address of record (which is what you gave them), it doesn’t matter that you don’t live there anymore. Legally, you have been notified and can be held accountable for whatever was sent.
There is a very simple solution to the address issue. Simply go to the post office now and put in a change of address form from the old address to the new address. That way any mail sent to the old address will reach you at the new one.