Wow, I messed up and need some help

[Hiranmanu]

What is the name of your state? Alabama


This is what has happened. I am at University. All these incidents has happened on campus. I was walking back inside from the parking lot. I saw a laptop laying on the ground and nobody was near it. I waited a couple of minutes to see if anybody was coming back. Nobody came so I took it. Well now the police came in my dorm room and had a search warrant. They looked at all of my stuff. They took the laptop that I had took from outside. They also took down all Serial Numbers to all my other electronics, none of which are stolen as I'm aware (some items have been bought on eBay). Well they also did a ghost of MY computer as an image and made sure it was mine. I got a citation for student non-academic misconduct. They said that now it depends on the owner of the laptop if she will press criminal charges or not. The laptop is not worth that much. I am wondering, if the owner wants to press charges how does that work? Will the owner have to pay for a lawyer etc or will the DA's office handle it? Will something like this go on my permanent record and mess me up in the future in getting a job after graduation? Ohh and also this is my first ever violation except for a speeding ticket which I took the driving class. Also any other kind of advice is much appreciated.

[FlyingRon]

Originally Posted by Hiranmanu

. Nobody came so I took it.

We call that theft. If you were concerned about it you should have taken it immediately to the University Police or otherwise tried to restore it promptly to its owner.

Will the owner have to pay for a lawyer etc or will the DA's office handle it?

No, the government presses criminal charges. All she has to do is fill out a complaint. If she wanted to sue you she would need a lawyer,.

Will something like this go on my permanent record and mess me up in the future in getting a job after graduation?

What happens with your campus violation is up too the University. If you get convicted of an actual crime, then that will be on your "permanent" record (this is real life, boy, not elementary school).

Ohh and also this is my first ever violation except for a speeding ticket which I took the driving class. Also any other kind of advice is much appreciated.

Be polite an apologetic, offer to compensate the victim for any hardship and hope she doesn't press charges. Pray that the stuff you bought off ebay doesn't turn up as being stolen and that you don't have any child porn or other incriminating stuff on your PC.

[acmb05]

Originally Posted by Hiranmanu

What is the name of your state? Alabama


This is what has happened. I am at University. All these incidents has happened on campus. I was walking back inside from the parking lot. I saw a laptop laying on the ground and nobody was near it. I waited a couple of minutes to see if anybody was coming back. Nobody came so I took it. Well now the police came in my dorm room and had a search warrant. They looked at all of my stuff. They took the laptop that I had took from outside. They also took down all Serial Numbers to all my other electronics, none of which are stolen as I'm aware (some items have been bought on eBay). Well they also did a ghost of MY computer as an image and made sure it was mine. I got a citation for student non-academic misconduct. They said that now it depends on the owner of the laptop if she will press criminal charges or not. The laptop is not worth that much. I am wondering, if the owner wants to press charges how does that work? Will the owner have to pay for a lawyer etc or will the DA's office handle it? Will something like this go on my permanent record and mess me up in the future in getting a job after graduation? Ohh and also this is my first ever violation except for a speeding ticket which I took the driving class. Also any other kind of advice is much appreciated.

Which is precisely why they put tracking software on computers now. Looks like it worked like a charm to.