Many people are stopped by store security staff and asked to show the contents of their bags. Others face an even worse humiliation. They are accused of stealing from the store and made to wait while the police are called.
While it is understandable that stores need to protect their goods, and there are people who do steal from them, accusing innocent people is unfair. To make it worse, the police may not believe that you are innocent and may arrest you for theft.
Here are some of the reasons these mistakes occur:
Being in the wrong company
Let’s say your teenager is out with a bunch of friends and rings in tears to tell you he or she has been accused of shoplifting. Simply being with a group of people, some of whom were stealing could be all it takes for the process to go down that road. The store staff can’t work out who is to blame. They just grab whomever they can and call the police. Unfortunately, your innocent child is held, and does not want to tell on a friend.
Putting things in the wrong place
You are in a store with your baby, who is busy screaming in the stroller. It’s fair to say you are a bit stressed and struggling to concentrate on buying what you need. In this state, you accidentally put an item into the stroller instead of the shopping cart. Or maybe you rest something on the stroller momentarily, and it falls in or your child grabs it and pulls it into the stroller. As you leave the store, the alarm sounds, and the staff refuse to believe it was an accident.
Not only can the charges be troublesome to deal with, but you may also face humiliation as people you may know see you being arrested. Seeking guidance from an experienced criminal defense attorney is your best option in such cases.
