Retail Theft

[lawstudent136]

I was in the Mall with my son in a stroller. I put several items on the top of the stroller and in the basket underneath in a bag.I went to the fitting room, my son was upset and started crying.I left the fitting room and put all the items back in the stroller. I rushed to the entrance of the store and exited leaving the stroller by the entrance. With my son in my arms I headed to another store to purchase a bottle of water.I went back to the original store to resume shopping with the stroller. I am being charged for leaving the store without paying for the items. I tried to explain I had no intention to shoplift.I`m a employee at the mall, I`m not from the U.S. I would never jeopardize my job or my status. I showed all my documents. I showed credit cards, I informed them I had money, and just had come from another store making purchases for 200.00 dollars, and did the same with the bags under the stroller. I had the receipts in my bag from the other stores as proof.I signed a report and was informed the items I had totaled over 300.00 dollars. Security informed they viewed me on a security camera exiting the store with the items in the stroller. The police took me to jail. I had a bond of 3000 dollars before talking to the judge.I was released on my own recognizance the next day. I have to appear in court in June. I'm not allowed in any shopping mall. I have no criminal record what are my options?
Thank You

 

[swalsh411]

A lawyer may be able to fight this since returning to the store is totally inconsistent with a person who intended to shoplift.

 

[Silverplum]

It's a pretty classic "lawstudent" question.

I was in the Mall with my son in a stroller. I put several items on the top of the stroller and in the basket underneath in a bag.I went to the fitting room, my son was upset and started crying.I left the fitting room and put all the items back in the stroller. I rushed to the entrance of the store and exited leaving the stroller by the entrance. With my son in my arms I headed to another store to purchase a bottle of water.I went back to the original store to resume shopping with the stroller. I am being charged for leaving the store without paying for the items. I tried to explain I had no intention to shoplift.I`m a employee at the mall, I`m not from the U.S. I would never jeopardize my job or my status. I showed all my documents. I showed credit cards, I informed them I had money, and just had come from another store making purchases for 200.00 dollars, and did the same with the bags under the stroller. I had the receipts in my bag from the other stores as proof.I signed a report and was informed the items I had totaled over 300.00 dollars. Security informed they viewed me on a security camera exiting the store with the items in the stroller. The police took me to jail. I had a bond of 3000 dollars before talking to the judge.I was released on my own recognizance the next day. I have to appear in court in June. I'm not allowed in any shopping mall. I have no criminal record what are my options?
Thank You

 

[Zigner]

A lawyer may be able to fight this since returning to the store is totally inconsistent with a person who intended to shoplift.

Really? On what basis would you make this statement? The OP posted what seems to me to be a PERFECT way to get items outside of the store and then return later to retrieve them.

 

[swalsh411]

Really? On what basis would you make this statement? The OP posted what seems to me to be a PERFECT way to get items outside of the store and then return later to retrieve them.

You're right. I mis-read the original post. I thought the OP said she took the stroller with her when she went to get the water, not that she left it by the door.

Now that I think about it, why would a person leave hundreds of dollars in brand new purchases just sitting there. That doesn't make sense either.

IF the OP had exited with the stroller containing the purloined goods then returned to the store later to continue shopping they may have had a defense but not the way the OP describes it.

 

[Zigner]

You're right. I mis-read the original post. I thought the OP said she took the stroller with her when she went to get the water, not that she left it by the door.

Now that I think about it, why would a person leave hundreds of dollars in brand new purchases just sitting there. That doesn't make sense either.

IF the OP had exited with the stroller containing the purloined goods then returned to the store later to continue shopping they may have had a defense but not the way the OP describes it.

Exactly. Heck, even if OP had left the store, dealt with the baby, then said "oops" and returned SOLELY to pay for the items, it might be better.

And, just to make a point, we have no indication that the OP is a female

 

[divona2000]

...I`m a employee at the mall
...I`m not from the U.S.
...would never jeopardize my job or my status
...I'm not allowed in any shopping mall...

Are you here on a work visa, and have you lost your job?