I did post this somewhere else, but i found this forum also. Okay, I am 34 years old and i went itnto stop and shop tonight to pick up some items with my 3 year old. He was in his stroller and i was putting items on top of the canopy. when that was full and things started to fall over i started to put items in a the bottom of the stroller, there is a bag like holder there. I paid for the items on the top and honestly i forgot about the stuff on the bottom. when i walked out some girl in her 20's(store detective asked me to come back in, still had no idea why thought I left a bag in there. , then she said you know what you did and so do I just co-operate with me and it will be quick. That is when i realized i forgot the bottom items. I told her i really didnt mean to steal them and i said i would pay for them now. She came back with i hear that all the time! she was a little cocky, like a police wannabe but i was still very polite and nice to her. I was honestly not trying to steal these items, I had over 200.oo cash on me and its just not me. I mean i was in the mall one day and i looked down at my son, he had a stuffed animal in his hands from a sore on the other side of the mall upstairs. i brought the damn thing back!! but anyway, this little detective said she called her office and was waiting for a call back to see if they were going to arrest me or let me go. 15 minutes later the police showed up and then i guess it was to late. he was awfully nice and had to arrest me because of the store or something. he told me to write a statement on what happened and i would have to go to court but the judge would probaly just give me a fine. he said i had nothing concealed so it shouldnt be a problem. what should i do? Plead guilty and pay the fine or not guilty and try to get it dismissed? I dont want to piss the judge off either. Please any help would be appreciated. I have never been through anything like this before. thanks. Someone told me that the person who came outside and asked me to come inside with her a second should not have touched me by the arm. Is this true in NY? Also when I was in there they made my son stand, would not let him sit on my lap or when i asked her to make a phone call so i could have someone pick my son up so he wouldnt be there she said no. also, I asked her to let me call someone to pick up my daughter who was getting off work at the time and i was supposed to pick her up she said no and my daughter who is 16 had to stand outside in the dark because she tought i would be there. I dont live in the city so the crime rate is not as high, but things happen around here also with young girls at night. Was she wrong for any of this? Could I write a letter to the main headquarters and tell them this, would they drop the charges because it wasnt handled correctly and she could of endangered a teen? Am i making to much of this?