Yes.Should i hire a lawyer/local attorney?
NO. Plead Not Guilty. Your attorney may be able to get you into a diversion program, which would also leave you with a clean record.should i plead guilty?
Unlikely.Will I serve time in jail?
You SHOULD be OK, under the petty theft exception for a single offense. This is why you need an attorney.how will this effect my F-1?
When you are interviewed, you'll need to disclose the theft. Take all of your documentation with you. This is another reason you need an attorney.how will this affect my GC processing?

