Originally Posted By 15jonshoot:


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?

Originally Posted By TEXASROOTERSBROTHER:

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

She did not leave the store

Originally Posted By 15jonshoot:


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?

Originally Posted By ClayHollisterTT:

Don’t they have to show some intent to steal, such as hiding the items if they are still in the store?

Originally Posted By Hoji:


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.

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?

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?

Originally Posted By Are-O-Be:
She hasn’t stolen anything until she has left the store. Show up to court and contest.

Originally Posted By voodochild:
Show up to court date and make sure the officer is there and try and get a copy of the store security footage. Have officer testify that he didn't think it was san intentional theft and have him state what he said to the store employees. Chances are it will get dismissed.  She will likely get banned from the store but oh well.

Originally Posted By Whiskey1Alpha:


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?

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?

Originally Posted By Are-O-Be:
She hasn't stolen anything until she has left the store. Show up to court and contest.

Originally Posted By ChuckD05:
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?

Originally Posted By mjohn3006:
While I agree in principle. Maybe don’t steal shit?

Originally Posted By voodochild:
Show up to court date and make sure the officer is there and try and get a copy of the store security footage. Have officer testify that he didn't think it was an intentional theft and have him state what he said to the store employees. Chances are it will get dismissed.  She will likely get banned from the store but oh well.

Originally Posted By shack357:
She'll wind up with a fine and maybe probation. Intent or not, she did pass final point of sale with unpaid merchandise.

…

Originally Posted By TheWhiteHorse:
Fight it till the end. Officers testimony (if he shows up, I think she gets off if he doesn’t) should clear her.

Originally Posted By wyomingnick:

Yes but I'm sure that requires intent.

Originally Posted By riverrockar:


Yes.  Not only jobs, but schools, volunteer organizations, etc...

I have one blemish on my record, and would pay a fairly significant amount of money to make it just disappear.  It's caused me a pretty substantial amount of worry and grief over the last twenty-five years.

Originally Posted By Whiskey1Alpha:


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.

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

Originally Posted By Alaskanforfreedom:
Two things- op is hearing this all secondhand from a biased source if Im understanding correct so daughter could have lied to daddy and daddy may have bought it because shes my sweet baby angel and has never done that. Also I think shoplifting requires you leave the building technically, I would contest in court ask to subpoena footage of security cams.