What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia
Hello, I apologize if this is a little long, just wanted to get all information out there.
I was at the dog park yesterday and spoke with a girl there that I see often. I mentioned that I had to go to tractor supply, and she asked if she could come with me. She asked if we could take my car because hers was almost out of gas. On the way, I realized that I had left my debit card at home, and asked if I could just pay her back the next day at the dog park. She agreed, and we went in and started to fill up the cart. Once we got to the food section, she was acting a little weird. At first I thought it was because I was wracking up quite the bill (horses are expensive!) but she started to comment on how the cart was too heavy and I couldn't put in more things that would slow it down. As we headed towards the front of the store, she told me she wanted to stay and look around at the boots and gloves and asked if I would go to the car to make sure the dogs were alright. Also, she didn't want me to have to walk around on my crutches too much (forgot to mention I was on crutches). When I got near the door, I slipped and fell and the woman at the cash register came to help me up. While I was down, the girl that I was with walked out the front door without paying.
I hadn't seen her walk out, and I sat down to take a moment after the fall (luckily didn't fall on my stitches, so was more of a freak out than anything). I sat on my phone for a little bit to pass the time. At this point the manager comes running out and sprints out the door with a few other employees. I realize at this time that I don't know where my "friend" was. Then they come back inside with the cart of all of our stuff! After asking what happened, I apologized profusely and offered to give them all my info. I sat around for a little to see if they needed me, and when they didn't walked out of the store. I had no way to contact the girl I was with and I saw her walking into a store, so I went in there to talk to her.
She was freaking out, asking me if the cops were called, etc. I asked her if she had anything else that she stole on her (no) and she begged me to give her a ride back to her car because she had no way to get back home. Obviously I should have said no, but I agreed to as long as she was willing to walk away from the store because I didn't want to be a part of all of this. I went across the street and waited, didn't see her so went to drive away, then as I was about to leave I saw her on the other side of the road and picked her up. I opened up to her in the car about how a while ago I tried shoplifting (was never charged for this) and how it wasn't worth it to ruin your life for, how she should write them a letter apologizing, etc. She spent the rest of the ride crying and apologizing, I dropped her off, and that was that.
Or so I thought - today, I was called into the police office. I told them the entire story. They want me to help them find her (which I agreed to do), and said that unless they can find her they want to charge me with accessory to felony shoplifting. Obviously, I am going to do my best to help them find this girl. But I'm so freaked out! I don't know what else to do. He said he thinks I'm telling the truth because what I said lines up exactly with what eyewitnesses had to say, but that I need to understand how the tapes can be skewed to look like I am purposely falling to help her escape. I had no previous knowledge that she was going to steal OVER $300 OF MERCHANDISE. What will happen if I'm charged with this? The police officer mentioned that he could potentially get it lowered to a misdemeanor. What would that mean for me then? Should I get a lawyer?
Hello, I apologize if this is a little long, just wanted to get all information out there.
I was at the dog park yesterday and spoke with a girl there that I see often. I mentioned that I had to go to tractor supply, and she asked if she could come with me. She asked if we could take my car because hers was almost out of gas. On the way, I realized that I had left my debit card at home, and asked if I could just pay her back the next day at the dog park. She agreed, and we went in and started to fill up the cart. Once we got to the food section, she was acting a little weird. At first I thought it was because I was wracking up quite the bill (horses are expensive!) but she started to comment on how the cart was too heavy and I couldn't put in more things that would slow it down. As we headed towards the front of the store, she told me she wanted to stay and look around at the boots and gloves and asked if I would go to the car to make sure the dogs were alright. Also, she didn't want me to have to walk around on my crutches too much (forgot to mention I was on crutches). When I got near the door, I slipped and fell and the woman at the cash register came to help me up. While I was down, the girl that I was with walked out the front door without paying.
I hadn't seen her walk out, and I sat down to take a moment after the fall (luckily didn't fall on my stitches, so was more of a freak out than anything). I sat on my phone for a little bit to pass the time. At this point the manager comes running out and sprints out the door with a few other employees. I realize at this time that I don't know where my "friend" was. Then they come back inside with the cart of all of our stuff! After asking what happened, I apologized profusely and offered to give them all my info. I sat around for a little to see if they needed me, and when they didn't walked out of the store. I had no way to contact the girl I was with and I saw her walking into a store, so I went in there to talk to her.
She was freaking out, asking me if the cops were called, etc. I asked her if she had anything else that she stole on her (no) and she begged me to give her a ride back to her car because she had no way to get back home. Obviously I should have said no, but I agreed to as long as she was willing to walk away from the store because I didn't want to be a part of all of this. I went across the street and waited, didn't see her so went to drive away, then as I was about to leave I saw her on the other side of the road and picked her up. I opened up to her in the car about how a while ago I tried shoplifting (was never charged for this) and how it wasn't worth it to ruin your life for, how she should write them a letter apologizing, etc. She spent the rest of the ride crying and apologizing, I dropped her off, and that was that.
Or so I thought - today, I was called into the police office. I told them the entire story. They want me to help them find her (which I agreed to do), and said that unless they can find her they want to charge me with accessory to felony shoplifting. Obviously, I am going to do my best to help them find this girl. But I'm so freaked out! I don't know what else to do. He said he thinks I'm telling the truth because what I said lines up exactly with what eyewitnesses had to say, but that I need to understand how the tapes can be skewed to look like I am purposely falling to help her escape. I had no previous knowledge that she was going to steal OVER $300 OF MERCHANDISE. What will happen if I'm charged with this? The police officer mentioned that he could potentially get it lowered to a misdemeanor. What would that mean for me then? Should I get a lawyer?
