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Can I Be Charged As An Accomplice To Stealing Beer In California

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  • 02-17-2008, 07:49 AM
    get heavy
    Can I Be Charged As An Accomplice To Stealing Beer In California
    I am new here and hope I am posting this in the right section. Please pardon me if I am wrong.

    I am 19 years old and am a resident in Castro Valley, California. I was with 6 other people in a car when the idea to steal beer was brought up. I made clear I was against it, but still was talking about it. We parked behind the convenient store in a fast food parking lot while 2 of my friends ran in and grabbed 2 cases of beer. We were pulled over immediately.

    We were handcuffed and searched. The driver had a prior which was possession of a weapon (brass knuckles) and was with a single minor. The driver was ticketed and his parents picked him and the car up, which was under his parents name. The rest were 18 or over. The 2 who stole the beer were arrested, however the police let the rest of us go, but not before taking our statements and writing our information down. In my statement it had said we were talking about figuring out how to steal the beer. I told the officer we were talking about it, however I wasn't apart of the planning, which there was none. Spur of the moment type thing.

    The people who we able to leave, me included, were not told if we were being charged with anything or if we might have to make an appearance in court.

    My questions: Can we be charged as an accomplice? Is there a chance we have to go to court? Is there ANY possible consequence after this incident?
  • 02-17-2008, 08:29 AM
    4eyedbuzzard
    Re: Can I Be Charged As An Accomplice To Stealing Beer In California
    Quote:

    Quoting get heavy
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    My questions: Can we be charged as an accomplice?

    Of course you could, but it's highly unlikely. The police arrested the two who physically committed the crime. If anyone gets charged as an accomplice it would most likely be the driver. Side note: Be careful what and how you say things to law enforcement. I'm not telling you to lie, or withhold information, just know that what you consider harmless converstation can have legal consequences.

    Quote:

    Is there a chance we have to go to court?
    Again, of course there is a chance. You could be charged. You could be subpoenaed as a witness. What's much more likely is the two who were arrested plead guilty or enter into a diversion program/agreement.

    Quote:

    Is there ANY possible consequence after this incident?
    Yes. But the best one is that perhaps you (and your friends) will take this as a wake up call. While guilt by mere association isn't practiced by our society, you just found out that it can put you in a position where you might be considered to have been a participant. Just a suggestion, but maybe you guys should conspire more on how to find a good part-time job, how to work the system for college tuition, how to get a date with some hottie, etc. Pick your friends wisely. Driving around trying to figure out how to commit a crime has resulted in a lot of people doing dumb things and winding up behind bars.
  • 02-19-2008, 01:27 PM
    usedbranflakes
    Re: Can I Be Charged As An Accomplice To Stealing Beer In California
    In college, when studying to be a police officer, we learned that we had all kinds of fun remedies to coerce information. You are lucky that they did not tag you all with conspiracy to commit a crime, which is usually a FELONY even if the crime committed is a misdemeanor.

    It is likely the fact someone might have mentioned that they should not do it and that it was wrong saved your tail.

    Either that or the officer had a really good day or a really good night the evening prior. ...or they only had room for 2 in the car.

    Either way, paint yourself lucky.
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