Charged With Shoplifting but It Was Not Intentional

[Nina Marie Hagen Helme]

My question involves criminal law for the state of:California

My girlfriend and I went to Walmart to do some shopping before leaving town to see my daughter who had twins 11 weeks early. I should not have went on this day because my head was not attached to my shoulders due to various personal issue going on in my life. As I shop I have a very large bulky purse that I put in the front seat of the cart, as I walk around I will pick it up and and through back in I use the small seat to put thing in that normally fall through the cart. We walked around for a while I am a thrifty shopper so I price compare. Upon leaving we checked out and the items I purchased came to about 150.00 as we were leaving I said to my friend wait we are parked in the nursery area so we walked back there and then I said where is the wormer and nail decals I needed? She was maybe they fell out. So I said lets go back and get them, just as we were turning around a man and a women latterly grabbed my arm and said come with me I was wait what the hell they proceeded to yell at us loud and said to shut up so we followed and went to this small room. About this time they grab my purse and say some very rude and obnoxious statements about what was under my purse. I looked at my friend and said well there it is, of course the security is having a field day about now being so obnoxious to the point of stupidity to us. The items were about 16 dollars’ worth of things. I said I have the money here it was just a mistake well no they kept telling us to stop lying and so on.. the cops came gave me a ticket to show up in court July 5, I had all intentions on showing up then I get a letter from the District attorney s off ice saying that they will not file charges on me if I go to a Pre Plea program that cost 250.00 which I do not have right now. I am confused on what to do go to court or just do this 250.00 class. Please help.

[cbg]

That is a "mistake" that is claimed a dozen times a day by shoplifters who were shoplifting for real. I will make no comment on whether I believe you or not, but even if you are telling the exact truth and not just trying out a story to find the holes in it, it's one that is used too often to be creditable.

FYI, many, many people carry enough money to pay for the things they shoplift FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE of saying, Look, I have the money, it's all a mistake, when they get caught. That you had money on you is not proof of a mistake.

[Nina Marie Hagen Helme]

Very true and I fully understand, I guess if it was intentional then I should check my self in some place because that is not what I wanted to do. Although I may have another personality that decided to come out that day? However I agree with you and it is not a matter of if I did or did not do it, I am sure I will come across the same rebuttal if I were to go to court. My question is should i just go to the classes they offered me?

[jk]

Got Caught Shopping at Walmart but It Was Not Intentional

While embarrassing, other than that, you should just try to live down the humiliation and go on with life like it never happened.

as to shoplifting, that is a different story.


I would suggest you remove your purse and check under it at the check out lane. You might be able to convince the court your actions were not meant to steal and it was a poor move putting the purse on top of merchandise but then again, it may not fly and you could be convicted. I would not bet on either situation.

. I am confused on what to do go to court or just do this 250.00 class. Please help.

you have the opportunity to make this disappear. I would find the money to do it. You may be able to work out a payment plan. You can ask. If there is no payment plan possible, I would borrow the money from somewhere,.

[Nina Marie Hagen Helme]

Thank you I have since thrown the mentioned purse away and purchased a smaller one. An I completely understand what you have written and I thank you for that.

[Disagreeable]

I'm crying troll. I cannot believe anyone would post such easily linkable information that immediately pulls up their facebook.

[PandorasBox]

Take the class.

Having a criminal record makes it very hard to find work.