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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    2

    Default Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Michigan

    I recently stole some flash drives from Wal-mart. Went out of camera's view, put them in my coat, went to the bathroom, took them out, and trashed the containers.

    Apparently they have photos of me, they went around to local businesses and a friend at work told me they were asking about me. They even claim to have pictures of the vehicles I was driving, which had no license plate on it at the time....

    What advice do you have for me?

    Can they realistically accuse me of stealing? Do they really have proof even if they haven't caught me in the act?

    I've been trying to contact the sheriff all day, but no response. I'm pretty nervous, but I don't think they have real evidence?

    Could they ask for my fingerprints and match them to the containers? Is that enough proof?

    Let's say they only have photos of me taking the flash drives off the shelf, going into the bathroom and coming back out, and leaving... is that enough evidence?(even if they didn't see me conceal them or take them?)

    Please help me out. He told me he would be lenient on me, but I really don't want to have any of this nasty stuff on my record... I KNOW I'll never shoplift again, and it was definitely a one time thing. HELP!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    8,006

    Default Re: Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    Who told you he would be lenient on you?

    If they saw you take the drives, conceal them, go into the restroom and after you exited found the containers in the trash...they can certainly report it to the police. It's called a circumstantial case and prosecutors win them all the time. They have enough evidence to reasonably conclude that you are the thief. Did anyone enter the restroom ahead of you or after you, that could have been an LP person monitoring your activities as well.

    Get a lawyer before you talk to law enforcement.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    My friend told me that the police were asking around and mentioned they would be lenient on the thief...

    I'm 99% sure no camera could see me from where I concealed the items. It wouldn't be unreasonable to suspect an employee seeing me take them off a shelf though. Should I not talk to the Sheriff over the phone without a lawyer?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    8,006

    Default Re: Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    I would highly recommend at least consulting with a criminal defense attorney prior to speaking to law enforcement, by phone or in person. Just because you think a camera couldn't see you, doesn't mean it's true. There also could have been a properly trained LP person watching you. Many companies have policies against bathroom stops so even if they saw you, they may not have been able to stop you once you made it into the bathroom. That does not prevent them from reporting the theft to law enforcement.

    At this point, if no one has positively identified you there may not be anything to worry about yet. Did your friend say they were asking about you by name or just as a picture needing a name? If you want to turn yourself in, that is entirely up to you and your personal ethics but it would look good in court.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    60

    Default Re: Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    Sounds like they have more than enough evidence against you, otherwise they wouldn’t be pursuing this.

    The “concealment in the bathroom” trick is one of the oldest on the books. I’ve detained numerous people on this scenario alone and yes, the charges do stick based on my written statements physical evidence and video footage.

    Are you sure about the cameras?

    You know they have “other” camera’s besides the ones in the ceiling right?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    105

    Default Re: Police Call After Stealing from Walmart

    I am an attorney although I am not licensed in Michigan. Do not take this as creating an attorney-cient relationship. Here is my opinion.

    You would be absolutely insane to talk to law enforcement without talking to a criminal defense attorney first. We have a saying, "The jails would be empty if people kept their mouths shut." Talk to a lawyer. If law enforcement tracks you down before you talk to a lawyer then keep your mouth shut and don't say anything beyond responding to a request for idenfitication. That applies to phone calls, face to face meetings, and any other form of communication. Say nothing, nada, zip.

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