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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
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    Default Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    Hypothetically, let's say I was shoplifting at Ulta and got caught. I took some things, went to the bathroom, and then came back out. The SA/manager? asked me where the products were. I told her they were in the bathroom. She asked me to show her, we went to the bathroom, told her they were in the trashcan. She made me empty out my bag, where I had all the items. I gave everything back and she said she was calling the cops so I left. She followed me out the door and I ran into a few different stores and she followed me but I got away. Then I took off my sweater so she wouldn't recognize me, walked around the stores, got into my car and left. I didn't see any sales associates or cops when I left. Is it possible she got my license plate number? Can I be accused of stealing if I never walked out with the items? It seems that the stores around Ulta do not have parking lot cameras. I've been to the outdoor parking complex and I have personally not seen any cameras - What are the chances that I will be prosecuted?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    California
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    20,594

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    The odds of prosecution are somewhere between 0 and 100%. Anything MIGHT be possible. There is no way any of us could possibly guess as to whether the store will call the cops and whether the cops will follow up on something like this in an unknown jurisdiction.

    Best bet: Stop stealing! Straighten up your life!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
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    2

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    Oh believe me, after all the paranoia I'm going through, I'm NEVER going to even consider doing this again.

    Even if they didn't have my license plate, can they track my down through my clothes? I live in an area with a hygiene school and a medical campus that has different colored scrubs for each department... and I was wearing scrubs. I did talk to one of the sales associates during a previous shopping trip (legitimate shopping trip - this is the first (and again, the ONLY) time i've done/will do this) about being part of the medical campus...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    California
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    20,594

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    There are any number of things the police CAN try in order to identify you. Whether they were contacted,and whether they will put in the effort or not is something we cannot answer. Chances are you are clear ... but, that is never a certainty.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    1,421

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    Quote Quoting optic144
    View Post
    Oh believe me, after all the paranoia I'm going through, I'm NEVER going to even consider doing this again.

    Even if they didn't have my license plate, can they track my down through my clothes? I live in an area with a hygiene school and a medical campus that has different colored scrubs for each department... and I was wearing scrubs. I did talk to one of the sales associates during a previous shopping trip (legitimate shopping trip - this is the first (and again, the ONLY) time i've done/will do this) about being part of the medical campus...
    Someone with your lack of morals and ethics shouldn't be in any type of "medical profession".

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    3,666

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    In some states a shoplifter can be charged with robbery. All the manager would have to report to the police is that when they were holding onto you, you decided to take off running and while doing so the manager got hurt. Maybe they slipped and twisted an ankle, maybe they broke a fingernail?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    122

    Default Re: Can I Be Prosecuted for Shoplifting if I Ran Away After Being Caught Shoplifting

    But in the OP's case they may have gotten their license plate and how do you know that they did not snap a photo of you with the manager's cellphone and send it to the police? If the OP goes anywhere near the Ulta and an employee or manager sees the OP they could press charges within the Statue Of Limitations.

    All the manager has to do is call the Police or file an online police report describe you or attach your photo and even they have the footage from the CCTV and they can easily get a still or edit it down to 30 seconds 5 minutes 15 minutes during the time they caught you.

    You concealed the item in the bathroom and the packages were empty so the items are not able to be resold.

    You need to be ready for a prosecution and its worse that you ran from the LP if you did not run you may have got a Civil Demand but now the police could find you and charge you with a Misdemeanor or Felony depending on the cost of the items.

    I can't tell you 100 percent as the Chrystal Ball is out for calibration.

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