I have poked around here a few times immediatly after this happened because i am so worried about what will happen...here's my story:
Back on 7/12/05 i was at Meijer with a buddy and he gets a little full of himself sometimes and was sure he was gonna steal this OBD II code reader for my car for me....we were walking around and things were looking sketchy because there was this particular guy that I thought was following us becuase we saw him everywhere
We eventually ended up in the bathroom with it, and I didnt know this other wise I woulda stopped my friend but he says there is a camera I didnt see over the bathrooms.....So he cuts it open and takes the thing out and slides me some manual and CD and i put it in my belt because i wasnt sure if i needed it or not....He put the package in the trash on the way out of the bathroom which was stupid looking back on it
We are already out of the store and 5ft from my car in the first row and these 2 guys (one of which was the guy i saw following us) come out and hold up the package and say "one of you has this" and my buddy immediatly takes it out of his pants stupidly and says "oh umm sorry" and they grab him and bring him back inside
They took no notice of me aparantly so i got in my car and left.....i was almost to my house and aparantly they called the cops and my buddy called me and says "they want you to come back here" and to bring the cd and such....I went back voulentarily because i thought it might help the case. I got there and they brought me in the room with him and had me fill out a statement or whatever it is about what happened. They took my picture as well as his and they gave him some thing that says he pays $200 to meijer or something
Nobody told me the officer would have a warrant out for my arrest if i didnt return....AND i later found out from my friend that they never knew my name until i came in and told them so the officer was flat out lying about the warrant i guess....So we have dates to get finger printed and pictures taken and then a later date to go to court
I have a few concerns....were those guys at Meijer allowed to stop us outside the store and were they especially allowed to touch my friend....I know he was an idiot for saying he had it because i know they cant search him once outside the store
Also, this letter just came in the mail talking about some Diversion program and it tells me to go to that which is a day before the finger printing....My whole issue is im going 2 hours east of here to CMU for college in the middle of august....I know another guy who got caught at meijer and he did the diversion program and is JUST completing it....there is NO way i can do it in that short amount of time
My big dilema is should i choose the diversion program or should i go to court? I somewhat know the judge because i ironically did a video interview with her on shoplifting for a school broadcasting class. Im sure there is some way that I can get off....as for my friend hes on probation for a MIP and hes only 1 month into the 6 month sentence!
I desperatly need advice i just want everything to go away....I want to go to college and forget about this. On july 29 i HAVE to decide if im doing the diversion program to drop all charges or if im going to court on August 10th as scheduled
I really really need advice!!

