Shoplifting or Not

Hi! State Maryland.
I opened the merchandise in the store. Then I placed it in my pocket. I didn't want to steal it, yet i was accused of doing so. I was still in the store. Until some store employees held me, called cops, etc. Is this considered shoplifting? I didn't want to steal it. Is there a law that states once you open the item and put it in your pocket is considered shoplifting?
The item's price was in upper 100's.

I guess an analogy would be that one took a bottle of water from the shelf in the store, opened it and started drinking it.. But the key to it is that one hasn't left the store yet. Maybe your intentions were to purchase it - even if it was opened.

Thanks in advance!

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Quoting username1575

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Hi! State Maryland.
I opened the merchandise in the store. Then I placed it in my pocket. I didn't want to steal it, yet i was accused of doing so. I was still in the store. Until some store employees held me, called cops, etc. Is this considered shoplifting? I didn't want to steal it. Is there a law that states once you open the item and put it in your pocket is considered shoplifting?
The item's price was in upper 100's.

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Yes.

Both removing it from it's packaging and/or concealing about your person is considered shoplifting. Even if you had not yet left the store.

By the way, let's not kid each other.

You took it out of the package and put it in your pocket but "I didn't want to steal it"?

Why don't you assume that the volunteers on this board have brains larger than that of your average hamster?

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I guess an analogy would be that one took a bottle of water from the shelf in the store, opened it and started drinking it.. But the key to it is that one hasn't left the store yet. Maybe your intentions were to purchase it - even if it was opened.

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Still theft.

Of course, the real difference is that a bottle of water is $1... what you stole was $180.

Some people might want to open an item to see it.
Now they may do one of a few things:
- Decide they don't want, it repackage it, place it back on the shelf.
- Decide they want it, repack as best as possible, place into shopping cart.
- Decide they want it, and place it in their pockets, etc (aka Concealment and Shoplifting)

If I were so thirsty in a store, I would go to the front, purchase a bottle of water and carry around the receipt for it......

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Quoting cyjeff

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Yes.

Both removing it from it's packaging and/or concealing about your person is considered shoplifting. Even if you had not yet left the store.

By the way, let's not kid each other.

You took it out of the package and put it in your pocket but "I didn't want to steal it"?

Why don't you assume that the volunteers on this board have brains larger than that of your average hamster?



Still theft.

Of course, the real difference is that a bottle of water is $1... what you stole was $180.

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EXCUSE me sir...i think my hamster is smarter than this person...so pls. don't compare him to a hamsters.....rodents are SMARTER...they are probably small. but they terrible;)

IT IS STEALING! You made the item unsellable to the next customer. You opened the package and put it in your pocket. That's called concealing an item and that's illegal. Expect a civil demand letter. Even a cockroach knows that. EWW I hate roaches >.<