Longtime friend came over for BBQ and beer this weekend. Tells me a story of his 18 year old daughter that went to Target, used the self checkout and forgot 2 smaller items on the bottom shelf that amounted like like $40 after paying for $200+ items that were in the cart.

Checks out, walks to the door and before she leaves 2 random dudes come up to her block her, 1 grabs the cart almost pushing her back and they tell her forcefully that she needs to come with them. She has zero idea what to do, doesn't think she did anything wrong and goes with these guys to the security office where they tell her they just caught her stealing. She's confused as she has a receipt. They say they're calling the cops and she freaks out as she has never been in trouble at all with anything.

The big mistake here is that she is too scared/embarrassed to call dad at this point as he would have asked if an officer was present (there was none) and told her to have either left or to meet him outside in the parking lot to figure out WTF was going on. Instead, she sits there for almost 2 hours until a officer decides to show up as I'm sure this guy didn't want to deal with the paperwork. The hilarious thing is that while she was sitting there for 2 hours, they pulled in 2 black girls who literally started fighting with the staff and they were mysteriously gone by the time the officer arrived.

Officer shows up, talks to the security office people and they fill him in on the 'theft'. He looks at the camera footage and instantly tells them it clearly looks like an accident with zero intent. Offers to have her pay for the items and be done as well as mentions that she did not actually leave the store with any items and she must be some criminal mastermind to buy 200$ worth of items to steal 2 plastic storages boxes left on the bottom of the cart. They don't want to do that as apparently this specific store has been targeted with thieves and they are watching 100% of self checkout transactions hence why they caught this so fast. Officer is forced to write a citation for 'petty larceny' and she's sent home. Get's a mailer card a bit later with a court date.

Dad has called the court, prosecutors office and no one knows anything other than there's a court date. He googled the charge and its a misdemeanor with usually some smallish fine and can be sealed within 6 months to a year - makes a lawyer basically unwarranted especially due to cost. Main issue right now is none of us have ever had to deal with any court stuff, for anything other than a divorce.

She has a court date set middle of next month that basically gives her case number, time/date and where to go.

We were trying to figure out what was next? She shows up to a shitty downtown judicial building and sits around for hours to get some copy/paste 'deal' for a fine? Or what usually happens here? I can't imagine they'd actually send this to a trial or whatever as A. she has 0 history B. the case is flimsy as it is as the first thing needed to prove petty larceny in Nevada is intent and C. who the hell would want to waste time and resources on this?

What usually happens at that point?

It's insane to me watching people steal thousands from stores on youtube and ransack gas stations and malls with zero repercussions yet we end up with this?


UPDATE #1:

So in the meantime, friend had gotten an attorney in Nevada who I guess was a friend of someone. He also works at one of those defense firms that basically specialize in this shit and have a direct line to the people at the prosecutors office on a daily basis. Friend told me that when he began the story of what happened, the attorney stopped to ask him if this was at a Target within 15 seconds. Apparently Target loss prevention is so trigger happy that cases brought by them basically annoy the prosecutors office as they have less of a chance of being a serious case.

Arraignment date was set for today but other than going in to put in a Not Guilty plea, the attorney had already gotten a call earlier in the morning about them offering a dismissal 'deal' after they reviewed whatever 'evidence' they had and apparently it was basically a fuck all waste of time.

He talked to the paralegal there for an update and he's waiting to see what they are going to do at this point but it looks like the kid was 100% telling the truth.





On a personal level thinking about all of this and reading the thread, I'm glad it looks like its going to work out for her, but if this were me in the exact same situation:

I wouldn't have stopped, stayed, or went with fucking anyone. Yeah. No.

I would have went to my car and driven home or whatever. There is a 0% chance that any box store employee was putting a hand on me. They know it. I know it.

I also asked 2 current police officer friends the same question - what would happen if they took a picture of my plate or even knew who I was and/or where I lived?

Both stated that at best, I would have had an officer knocking on my door once to talk to me but also, basically no one would care after taking a report. Seeing as how I don't ever answer my door, well, yeah.


UPDATE #2

Just got off the phone with the dad. They got a letter in the mail (non registered) from a law firm named Palmer Reifler. The letter read like some total bullshit shakedown that is written targeted towards extremely young or extremely old people as anyone else would laugh at it. It said that they were representing Target in the potential civil case about the theft and to pay them $400 and they would consider the matter closed.

A quick google of their name shows that this is a legal scam and actual lawyers consider this 'firm' a hack job shyster shop. The notice also holds zero legal weight. Yet, this is somehow allowed and I'm sure people fall for it.

Target is apparently aware of this and does nothing to stop it because I'm sure they get a piece of anything anyone sends in. No wonder they are totally ok with basically jamming anyone up with the smallest thing in the store. Makes you wonder.


Update #3

Arraignment happened without much to do.

Her lawyers showed up and put in not guilty and had a side bar with the prosecutor who initially wanted to offer some total shit cookie cutter deal everyone that wasn't a habitual felon got. Lawyer laughed at him and said we'll talk when we get the discovery and you're basically going to look retarded.

Yesterday (Monday) the lawyers got a copy of the police report. Report literally states that the officer A. does not see any intent whatsoever and  this was an obvious oversight B. attempted to talk to the Target representative who was extremely difficult to deal with, about this to let the daughter either pay for the items or leave with her paid for items and be done with this after advising them that he believes there was zero intent and they refused C. viewed the tape and while you could see the actions at the self checkout and cart clearly, none of the tape actually ever shows the daughters face to ID her.

A few hours afterwards, lawyer gets an offer from the city of a full dismissal as long as she pays a $200 fine and does some dumb class. Their response was that they were going to push for a dismissal with nothing in return as they can only thing that getting the video via discovery would make it for a slam dunk acquittal so why should we give them anything at all?

Isn't target notorious for collecting evidence on self checkout shoplifting until it hits a certain amount?

While I agree in principle. Maybe don’t steal shit?

I'd hire an attorney.

I have honestly no idea. Is there any info on this?

For what she was told by the officer, the citation was for roughly $40 in merchandise which was what the 2 or whatever plastic storage boxes under the cart would have been.

Get an attorney and ask for a jury trial or go and plead guilty and pay the fine.

Attorney and counter sue for assault.

She hasn’t stolen anything until she has left the store. Show up to court and contest.

We visited that idea as he had by himself. He had called a few people and they all wanted somewhere between $2500-$5000 for a retainer.

She has 0 criminal history. There is 0 intent. The fines for it posted online in Nevada seem to be around $400ish dollars and the no contest/in lieu pleas are sealable after 6 or 12 months.

She should have yelled "reparations", called everyone racist, and run out the door.
At least that's how it works around here.

If she never left the premises, aka thru the doors, then she never technically stole the items?

IANAL.

What's the legal definition in your statue book for what she's charged with?

Hire an attorney.

Criminal defense attorney

I'd lawyer up before some technicality had me explaining this mess for the rest of my life.

Have her get a lawyer. The citation is to a court - we would call it sessions - other places may be a municipal court.

Get the officer's bodycamera footage and get the reports from the officer.

The lawyer can subpeona the target footage.

The main issue is that the officer saw no probable cause and target loss prevention decided to charge for non concealed goods still i
inside the store.

The goal would be to get a dismissal and an expungement of the arrest. Secondary may be to civilly sue Target.

HTH

Attorney and jury trial. Be sure the cost of the expungement is included in your attorney fee.

I don't think this was larceny. Larceny requires intent. I'd welcome anyone to prove intent in this case.

This was pure stupidity/probably playing on the phone or whatever when she should have been paying attention.

Also, she never left the store.

She will be stealing from OP next.

Worth it.

Getting convicted of petty theft will negatively impact her life

Sounds like you know what to do.  Go to court, explain your side of what happened, ask court to review the tapes (won't be there/available) and likely walk out with charges dismissed. Worst case - pay fine and get it sealed later.  This is almost a rite of passage into adulthood (having to deal, rightly or wrongly, with the system).

Is having a theft charge show up for the next 40 years or so not worth $2500-$5000 to have it dismissed and expunged ? Any job worth having  does a criminal background check.

Not true.

I'm with this.

also, I'd scream false arrest keeping her there for 2 hours against her will.

if you really want  to have fun start throwing around allegations of sexual harassment/improper conduct with her in that "office"
a large retail chain, being woke.. that is the last thing Target wants out in the public (true or not)

It would easily be worth $5k to make thst go away.  If she pleads guilty and pays the fine that charge will follow her for life.  No way she should face this without an attorney.

You’re the real hero here.

Buddy had the same thing at Walmart. All the lines were slammed so they told him to use self check out. He missed 32 worth of shit and they ticked him and set a court date. Had to hire an attorney to get a plea deal.

For what it’s worth he had $600 worth of shit for their new house and was trying to get home. I’ve known the guy for 10 years and he doesn’t steal. Sometimes people miss shit, sometimes people are shit

She’s not black and a legal citizen - that is why she has a court date


Renounce your citizenship, cross into Mexico, cross back into the USA

Problem solved

Wrong.

Attached File

They are allowed to use reasonable force to prevent the consequences of theft.

It's not assault.

Because not everywhere won't prosecute theft charges. Dallas County residents come out to my county and try to shoplift, and are surprised when they go to jail or end up with a court date. The stores here have doubled and tripled the amount of loss prevention folks that they have to crack down on shoplifting.

The daughter, not the dad, needs to set up a meeting with the prosecutor and go from there. She needs to go in person and speak to the court clerk and find out if that meeting can happen before or on her court date. Dad won't get much traction trying to talk to the court for his adult daughter, they won't tell him anything.

If she isn’t a bad kid I don’t even see how it is a question about whether or not to hire a lawyer.

Quit shopping at Target.

Fuck target. Get a lawyer.

Attached File

He's lying and she's lying. I worked in plain clothes asset protection at Target for a while. They do not show video to the parents of anyone, especially an adult. Misread that part.They get fired if they do. Only the police and store management may view video of theft. I suggest you follow the case. The video will be used as evidence if she takes it to trial. My guess is she'll plead guilty to avoid a trial. I worked in predominantly black Target and by far the worst perps were young white girls stealing costume jewelry and cosmetics.

I usually don’t ignore old timers but in this case I will.

She did not leave the store

Not really the way it works.  Go to court, with or without an attorney.  Enter a plea.  Guilty, NG, nolo, etc.  that will determine what happens next.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a case in criminal court where a judge listens to an explanation.  They look at evidence.  The court doesn’t review evidence.  It’s presented by the prosecutor or the defense.  Get a lawyer.

Edit, disregard, you beat me with your edit.

He said the officer viewed the video not the dad.

Passing the checkout is the crime. Attempting to leave the store via not paying. Leaving the store has nothing to do with it.

Get an attorney.  She doesn't need a criminal conviction for a theft.  Even the cop thought it was a mistake and she did pay for $200 worth of goods.

She does have to appear and should with her attorney.

Let the attorney do the talking.

If you're in a busy jurisdiction, the district attorney may want to drop it or arrange for some alternative.

Hate to say it, but she’s 18. Her dad had no business getting involved in her Adult problems. By hook or by crook, she’s going to learn valuable lessons in seeing this thru.

She’ll get in front of a judge, the judge will plead it down to a lesser misdemeanor, and she will pay Target a fine and never set foot in their stores again. Dad is nothing to do with this.

I would pay an attorney thousands before I would pay a $400 fine for something like that.

The police here lock people up, with tha appropriate charge.  What the prosecutor does is up to them.  But they still go to jail.

Most places for stuff that petty will mediate and dismiss. Walmart sends their LP heads to court on particular days, they bundle their cases, meet with the mediator, essentially pay for the goods and are on their way. Sometimes they get banned from the store.

The prosecutor might even tell her that's on the table.

Also it's theft past the point of sale in lots of places.

This is what I was thinking. Make sure you have the tape of them stopping her inside the store. Show it the judge/jury.
How can it be theft if the items never leave the store?

Fuck that. Dads help their kids regardless of age.

Absolutely not true

I worked LP for Meijer, and I can confirm everything said here is accurate.

She should have bladed