For many teens it starts out as a lark. See if you can sneak a new CD, pack of baseball cards or t-shirt out of the store. Maybe your friend dares you. Maybe you just see something you want but don't have the cash in your pocket. Maybe the thrill of getting away with something illegal appeals to you. Maybe you figure corporate America can afford it. Whatever their reason for shoplifting, the thrill usually ends with a panic-producing hand on the shoulder, the snap of cufflinks around your wrists and an embarrassing ride to the police station.
Contrary to what many people think, shoplifting isn't a poor man's crime. Hollywood celebrities and upstanding citizens have been caught shoplifting. Most shoplifters can easily afford to pay for what they steal. They're not usually stealing to feed or clothe their children; they're stealing for the thrill. The thrill stops when they are arrested for petty theft. Shoplifting is a serious crime with penalties and consequences. If you take something from a store without paying for it, it's shoplifting. Even if you don't walk out the door with the item, if you even tried to take something from a store, it's still shoplifting. You can be arrested for the intent to shoplift, even if you're not successful. If you switch labels on merchandise to get a better price, that's also shoplifting. So is eating food you haven't paid for and concealing the wrappers or walking out of a restaurant without paying the bill. All are considered petty theft.
Shoplifting costs American businesses millions of dollars each year. They're not kidding when they post warning signs in dressing rooms. "Loss protection" efforts include undercover shoppers, security cameras, electronic sensors and alert clerks and stockers all on the lookout for potential theft. Stores do prosecute shoplifters -- even first-timers and teens. A first-time offense is usually charged as a misdemeanor, resulting in a one-year probation, a small fine and a criminal record, though county jail time is possible. Many employers won't risk hiring someone who has already been prosecuted for theft. In some cases, a first offense can be reduced to an infraction thus eliminating any criminal record.
If the shoplifted article is valued over $400, or if you are a repeat offender, you can be charged with a felony. Conviction entails higher fines and possible time in a state prison. Click here for more information about California laws on shoplifting and petty theft.
