My question involves criminal law for the state of: New Jersey
In late January, I was caught shoplifting at Target. I'm 18 and it's my first offense ever. The value of the stuff I was trying to steal was $197.7 -- 3 cents away from the felony, as four police officers informed me.
If you're not interested in the details of my apprehension (I don't know whether or not they're important), then just skip this next part.
I had a big Target bag in my pocket when I entered the store, I picked up the stuff I wanted to steal, found a deserted aisle and put the things in the bag there. Then I walked out. The moment I stepped outside the store's doors, two security guards grabbed me and pretty much dragged me to some windowless room. When they brought me in, another Target employee said something along the lines of "oh, nice you got him." Him, as though they had known me...turns out they also had me on camera stealing a $150 keyboard.
They sent me over to some bench and asked me for my license (well, sort of demanded it...I didn't object, I turned it over immediately) and while they were copying that, they had me speak over the phone with someone else. They asked me a bunch of questions, I think trying to figure out if I do this regularly (I don't), and then I went back to the bench. During the hour or so I was there, four police officers came in. One of them searched my pockets; that wasn't an issue since I didn't have anything illegal on me.
They spent a lot of time cracking jokes -- one officer told me that I'm "a ****ing dummy" (I agreed with him; I am), and they joked about accusing me of stealing the pack of gum I had in my pocket -- if that [i]was[i] stolen, it would've pushed me over $200 and I'd be looking at a felony.
I don't think it counts as me being arrested, since nobody ever said "you are under arrest" or "you have the right to..." or any of that other stuff.
Then they just suddenly let me go, and told me to bring back the keyboard from before or they'd add it to my charges. Naturally, I brought it back.
Around 2/4, I got a notice demanding $150 civil penalty. I haven't paid it yet, and from what I've read on the interent, I shouldn't. Apparently, if I don't pay it, then I can try to strike a deal with Target in which they recommend the charges be dropped and I pay them the $150.
I have yet to receive a summons, a month after the incident.
Does anybody have any other advice? I'm a senior in high school, headed to college next year, and I really just want all of this to go away. Thank God I had under $200 in merchandise, I can't even imagine what I'd do if I had been actually arrested for a felony.
Thanks

