I am in a situation that I'd never thought I'd be put in. I was fined for shoplifting, and I wasn't the person shoplifting the item. I was wondering if there was anyway I could get out of the fine, legally.
My Story:
I am 18 y/o , and I was staying with a friend. We went to Martain's Grocery Store to look around, we saw something that we wanted to eat ( a breakfast bowel, and some apple juice ) so my friend stole it. We left the store without getting stopped or caught. Went on about our day. However, my friend thought she could get away with it now. So we went back a second time. She stole two lunchable ( stupid thing to steal I know. ) , but she put them in her bag. We went to walk out the doors, but we were met outside of the store by two undercover workers. They stopped us and told us that we had to follow them about the stolen items in her bag. So we complied and followed them back to the room. She handed them the two lunchables and they took down our information. They had caught us because they had a picture of us with the items from the first time, and saw us leaving without stopping at the register. (they didnt have photos of her actually stuffing her bag the first time) However I got 2 letters in the mail. Two separate fines, I'm guessing one from the morning trip, and the other from the second trip. However neither of the times did I physically take anything, nor was any merchandise found on me.
My Question:
Q#1: Is there any way I can get out of the fines since I hadn't physically stolen any merchandise myself?
Q#2: Is there anyway my friend could get out of the first fine since we were not caught the first time, and there is no proof that we left the store with the merchandise?

