Shoplifted and Got Away

I was with my best friend last week, we were dropped off at a big department store chain. We then proceeded to walk around for about half an hour, until she got the brilliant idea to take a pair of underwear. She took them out of the package, and rolled them up. She also took other pairs out of their packs to look at them. She then slipped them into her sweater sleeve and went into the washroom and put them on. We walked out of the store, walked off the property and half an hour down the street.
I'm curious to know, if they saw her on tape, they most likely would have stopped her then right? And, if they see her stealing such a small item, would they really track her down considering people steal from there everyday, and take much larger items?
Thanks in advance. xxo

Had she been spotted, yes, it's likely that she would have been.

That doesn't mean they can't/won't stop her next time she's in that store, and they've got a year to press charges.

You might want to not go "shopping" with her any more, lest you find yourself nabbed on one of her excursions.

As Missy suggested, you may not want to shop with her anymore.

Think of it this way - if your friend gets caught, YOU get charged as her accomplice. Even if you split up to shop separately, you can be seen as trying to take attention off your shoplifting friend.

Ok thanks. But does anyone really, "THINK" that the store would actually presue this, considering it was such a small item, and they didn't stop us as we walked out, and had the chance too if they noticed it since we exited the parking lot and down the street calmly on foot for about a 30 minute walk up the street? We're bother pretty nervous.

It's possible that they have you on tape; and will bust you the next time you enter the store.

By your description of your friends crime...it's not her first time shoplifting.

Seriously...to drive it home to you...Read that sign in WalMart...."Shoplifting is not a prank or a thrill - it's a crime. And can cost you $2000.".

Now ask yourself if a $5.00 pair of panties is worth that? Plus the humiliation of having a CRIMINAL record, being fingerprinted, posing for that Mugshot, being banned from the store....

And will your best friend pay your fines if she gets caught...and you get busted as an accomplice....

I know all of this. I was raised to know better than to do stupid things such as this. I am just a mess because I don't want this to affect my life. I know MANY people who steal from this place and never get caught. That certainly isn't an excuse, but I really hope they wouldn't come after her and I for something such as this, when there are people stealing hundreds, even thousands of dollars worth of things from them. Again, not an excuse for it.

I realize they could bust us next time we enter, which I don't ever plan to believe me!! Is it a possibility that the send our warrents for minor things like this often?

Shoplifting costs stores BILLIONS of dollars per year.

The average family gets $400+ a year in increased prices to cover the "shrink" or "loss" caused by shoplifters who are not caught.

You know what can happen.
You know your friend shoplifts and you can be charged should you be with her when she gets caught.

People have been busted for a $1.00 can of pop. Wanna chance it?

I learned my lesson when I was 6 and my sister and I each stole a pack of gum, and when my mother found out in the parking lot she kicked both our as$es and made us to return the, both of us in tears when the lady threatened to call the police on us to scare the living $hit out of us. Believe me, i know better.

Trust me, I am not going "shopping" with the chick anymore. I am going to be an american resident soon and I don't want anything messing that up.

I am just terrified that this incident will come back to haunt me soon. I have such a guilty conscience and I can barley even sleep over it.

anybody else have any other input? I'd really appreciate it. xxo

There really isn't anything else we can say. What we think any given retailer might do is completely irrelevant. Miss Cleo, we ain't.

Find a better class of friend. It will save you a lot of anxiety in the long run.

I understand that. I am not asking anyone to predict what will happen. I am just asking if anybody knows stories of what certain BIG department store chains do in cases like this. I'm not naming the place but it's probably the biggest and most common store.

can anyone else chime in on this please?? (without making remarks about not being psychic. I know that nobody "knows" what they will do)

What part of "there's nothing left to say" eludes you?

It doesn't MATTER what other chains do. What other chains do has absolutely no bearing on your situation. Nothing we think has any bearing on your situation.

You're just going to have to tough it out. There's nothing else to be done.

I am not totally stupid. I am just asking if anybody else knows anything about minor shoplift getaways. i want to know if anyone else has any input on this..

Quote:

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Quoting muffster6781

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I am not totally stupid. I am just asking if anybody else knows anything about minor shoplift getaways. i want to know if anyone else has any input on this..

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In other words..

..what happened to someone else is completely irrelevant to what may or may not happen to you.

Each case has its own set of circumstances.

Yes I am aware of that. And I appreciate the posts from everybody. I just wanna know if anyone knows stories about stories about stores such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc. and what they've done before to catch get away shoplifters stealing small items.

-Missy, I apologize if you thought I was being rude. Not my intention.

We're not here to tell you stories. We're here to explain the law.

If you want stories, you're going to have to go elsewhere.

I've seen other threads on this site that were a lot more helpful than this has been. I am sure that there are other people who will come across this and be willing to talk to me.. but thanks.