Employee Caught Stealing from the Workplace

[sluna]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Texas.

Hi, its incredibly embarrassing but I got caught stealing from my work (retail store). I was taken to the back and told to write a confession, which I did because I was scared and figured that if I was going to be honest it may have been in that moment. Two LP district managers had to come in from out of town because we didn't have LP at that moment at all. I was freaking out and they had a police officer come in to officially ban me. He took my license information and told me I would get a misdemeanor (class C), but I never received a citation, court date, or official paperwork. It's been 3 months since this has happened and I still haven't received anything, not even a civil demand. They never mentioned if I was going to put put into the Theft Database or if they were even going to press charges. They said I was being terminated for 'Misuse of product'. I'm incredibly scared of whats going to happen, and I feel nothing but shame. I don't know what to expect at all, and I've been getting gray hairs over it.

I just want to know what happens next, and I know no one can give me a play by play, but judging by whats happened it's all just very confusing.

If the police came to ban me, was that considered an arrest?
Can I be given a record without any proper paperwork?
Does this workplace have to notify me if they enter my name into this theft database, or do I just find out if I apply to a different retail job?

Serious answers would be incredibly appreciated. After this experience I've been pulled back to see how horrible I was acting, so in some ways I am glad that I was forced to learn this lesson. Thanks to anyone who can provide me some information.

[adjusterjack]

If the police came to ban me, was that considered an arrest?

I don't think so. If you had been charged with a crime, I think you would have been summoned to court by now.

Can I be given a record without any proper paperwork?

"Proper paperwork" is in the eye of the beholder. There is a record of this somewhere but to what extent is anybody's guess.

Does this workplace have to notify me if they enter my name into this theft database,

No.

or do I just find out if I apply to a different retail job?

Yes.

Couple of things you can do.

Go on to your city and county court websites and do a case search (if available online) for your name and see if anything comes up.

If you can't do it online, go to the courthouses and do the search.

If nothing comes up, go online and find a company that does employment background checks. Have them do one on you and see if anything comes up.

Might also check all three of your credit reports to see if any public record shows up:

www.annualcreditreport.com

They are free once a year so maybe do one now, another in 4 months, the third in 4 months after that.

[sluna]

I just checked and everything was clear, even though I was never charged do you think they put my name in that Database since there were no legal actions taken toward me?

[hr for me]

Even if they don't subscribe to the theft database, even if they never press charges or do a civil demand, they will still have the information in your personnel file at least. So there is a very good chance the information is out there somewhere. It won't just be forgotten.

[sluna]

Is it based off the company if they would submit my information, or specifically the store you think?

Also, what are the chances the store would try to pursue the case after 3 months? I know they have a certain amount of time that they can try and convict me, but is it likely since they called the police officer and was only banned?