Originally Posted By Whiskey1Alpha:
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.