Can LP Keep a Shoplifter's Personal Property

[dylannsfuture]

My question involves civil rights in the State of: california
i was almost caught walking out of jcpennys with less then 50 dollars of merchandise... the lp grabbed only my purse handle and ripped it from my arm got their belongings back and my purse i asked for it back because it has my great grandmothers ruby in it that i was taking to get appraised the next day..... i am homeless and am 29 year old female, (thats irrelevant) but the ruby is my daughters future and the basis for me to start a new life with no theiving involved....... theres no proof that it was me anyone could have had my purse the only piece of identity was a costco card loose in my purse not in a wallet... they told me **** you come inside if you want your purse or else we are calling the cops, i sat out side for a long time and no cops came but i need my belongings back , they got theirs back what can i do.

[free9man]

They cannot keep your property. You will have to contact the store, and likely go there, in order to get it back assuming they still have it. Are you sure it was LP that stopped you? If it was, that was a crap unprofessional stop. You don't just let the person walk away if you have them, which they did.

[DeputyDog]

They cannot keep your property. You will have to contact the store, and likely go there, in order to get it back assuming they still have it. Are you sure it was LP that stopped you? If it was, that was a crap unprofessional stop. You don't just let the person walk away if you have them, which they did.

Sorry, this isn't correct.

There's a few lines to be read between here because the shoplifter's account is a bit hard to read due to bad grammar.

It appears that the OP didn't cooperate and refused to come back inside, although they were able to get the purse extracted from her. They then didn't stand around outside to sort through the purse and their merchandise on the sidewalk, but took it inside. Now she's whining about her ruby ring.

Your purse is either being held as evidence and you can go back for it and be charged OR it has already met the dumpster.

Also, no one will be impressed that it was "less than $50." And I'm sure that if you could only get that ring back you'd turn your life around, quit breaking the law, and work for a living. If only you had that ring!

Oh well. I guess it's back to being a pretty criminal.

[free9man]

Sorry, this isn't correct.

No, it is. The store personnel are not allowed to just take and keep the personal property of shoplifters, which is what OP was asking. The bag, yes because it is evidence. It's contents, beyond the stolen merchandise, absolutely not.

[DeputyDog]

No, it is. The store personnel are not allowed to just take and keep the personal property of shoplifters. The bag, yes because it is evidence. It's contents, beyond the stolen merchandise, absolutely not.

I've done the job. If OP stuck around, there was no reason for them not to bring her back in the store for processing or call the cops to come get her and then OP would have gotten their stuff back albeit after bailing out of jail. That was an unprofessional stop. You do not cuss out shoplifters. That is not the way professionals do it.

It would appear that they didn't forcibly take her into custody because it was a small dollar amount. They settled for the recovery. Most would call that a good business decision.

Since she had almost nothing in the purse but the stolen merchandise and a costco card and this stupid ring (typical for shoplifters. They never have ID, credit cards, etc in their thieving bags for just this reason,) the LP guys probably didn't even know about the ring until later.

Furthermore, they didn't refuse to give her her things back; she would have been welcome to have her ring and maybe even purse back had she walked back in. She resisted apprehension and they took the bag in the process because it contained their property.

The fact that you claim to have done the job but fail to grasp all of this is surprising.

[free9man]

It would appear that they didn't forcibly take her into custody because it was a small dollar amount. They settled for the recovery. Most would call that a good business decision.

Without being there, I would be inclined to agree. I don't know what level of resistance OP put up but if it wasn't anything more than token, it would not take much force to bring her in. Further, as I stated, they could have called the cops to deal with OP.

Since she had almost nothing in the purse but the stolen merchandise and a costco card and this stupid ring (typical for shoplifters. They never have ID, credit cards, etc in their thieving bags for just this reason,) the LP guys probably didn't even know about the ring until later.

Never said anything to the contrary. I am well aware of the contents of the typical shoplifter's purse, although my perps tended to have one or more controlled substances in theirs as well.

Furthermore, they didn't refuse to give her her things back;

I never said they did. I simply told OP that they would have to go to the store to get it back. That may not work out too well for them as that recovery could turn into a stat, depending on the company.

The fact that you claim to have done the job but fail to grasp all of this is surprising.

I'm not just claiming. I did it for 10 years and did it well. I am well aware of how things go. I was simply answering OP's question and expressing my opinion that the stop was unprofessional.

[Disagreeable]

I am waiting for the claim store LP stole the ruby and she wants to sue them.

[free9man]

I am waiting for the claim store LP stole the ruby and she wants to sue them.

Wouldn't be the first time and definitely won't be the last. That's why we always checked bags where the perp or a camera could see us. Still didn't stop people from claiming their wad of cash disappeared after they got caught.

[DeputyDog]

Without being there, I would be inclined to agree. I don't know what level of resistance OP put up but if it wasn't anything more than token, it would not take much force to bring her in. Further, as I stated, they could have called the cops to deal with OP.



Never said anything to the contrary. I am well aware of the contents of the typical shoplifter's purse, although my perps tended to have one or more controlled substances in theirs as well.



I never said they did. I simply told OP that they would have to go to the store to get it back. That may not work out too well for them as that recovery could turn into a stat, depending on the company.



I'm not just claiming. I did it for 10 years and did it well. I am well aware of how things go. I was simply answering OP's question and expressing my opinion that the stop was unprofessional.

Ok, I see that we are more in agreement with each other than I thought. I'm not sure that it was unprofessional though. It seems she resisted, they got the bag, and walked in. It's probably what I'd have done too if I was choosing to not take her into custody for whatever reason - although I'd have probably taken her. And frankly, even if I could see personal property in the bag along with stolen merchandise, OP was in effect abandoning it by not coming back in. So I would still take the whole bag, but I'd turn it and its contents over to the police.

I also have a feeling that there's a few pertinent details being left out by the OP.

[free9man]

I also have a feeling that there's a few pertinent details being left out by the OP.

Oh, I'm quite sure that's probably true.

My main point on the professionalism aspect was the cussing at the perp. You aren't supposed to do that, although I know it happens sometimes.