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shoplifting

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K

krystylb

Guest
I am currently living in Springfield, Missouri. I am not sure who to contact reguarding any legal help for shoplifting. Last saturday 2 women chased me out of a store claiming that I had shoplifted from their store (which, yes I am guilty of, first time i've ever done it too). They grabed me by the arm to stop me. When I had followed them into a small room they had asked me about what i had stolen, and I had lied to try to get out of it. They then told me that they had watched me steal it. Now...this being AWAY from shoplifting... I was in the dressing room when it happened. And the door was also locked. They had told me that they watched me steal the merchandise and they had it all on camera. Does that not invade someone's personal privacy in a dressing room? And if its video taped, is that against the law? After an hour of arguing with the women, I had confessed in the process, they had told me that they were going to search my car. They then brought in an officer and searched my car without my consent. I had just moved to Missouri from California and still had all of my clothes in the trunk of my car and my homecoming, halloween costume and some other beaded gowns in the back of my car that I did not want to get all wrinkled and ruined from being scrunched with the other stuff. I also had a bathing suit in the back seat that was bought for me for my birthday by my boyfriend this passed couple of months. It was pulled out because I was going swimming with some people that afternoon. I had a business suit that I bought from dillards a few days prior to leaving california. The tags were still on the outfit, but I dont have the receipt and I dont have the bag it came in anymore. Because I felt as thought I didn't need them. They took all the clothes out of the back of my car and put them in a bag saying that I had stolen the stuff and unless I come up with reciepts or proof of payment I dont get them back. There was only part of the bathing suit that they had taken too, the other half was in the back of the trunk, but they didn't bother looking for it. Well the homecoming dress I bought over a year ago. The halloween dress they should have known because the whole emsemble was in the backseat. Wings, Nylons, everything! I've had it for 3 or more years. They had told me it was suspicous because this stuff was just tossed in the back of the seat...it wasn't! It was neatly folded in the passanger side. The officer also read me my rights prior to asking me any questions. Is that allowed?

My question is, are they allowed to take things out of my car, search my car without my consent, tell me that they watched me and video taped me?

If you are unable to help me, do you know of someone who may answer my questions?

Thank You
 


HomeGuru

Senior Member
krystylb said:
I am currently living in Springfield, Missouri. I am not sure who to contact reguarding any legal help for shoplifting. Last saturday 2 women chased me out of a store claiming that I had shoplifted from their store (which, yes I am guilty of, first time i've ever done it too). They grabed me by the arm to stop me. When I had followed them into a small room they had asked me about what i had stolen, and I had lied to try to get out of it. They then told me that they had watched me steal it. Now...this being AWAY from shoplifting... I was in the dressing room when it happened. And the door was also locked. They had told me that they watched me steal the merchandise and they had it all on camera. Does that not invade someone's personal privacy in a dressing room? And if its video taped, is that against the law? After an hour of arguing with the women, I had confessed in the process, they had told me that they were going to search my car. They then brought in an officer and searched my car without my consent. I had just moved to Missouri from California and still had all of my clothes in the trunk of my car and my homecoming, halloween costume and some other beaded gowns in the back of my car that I did not want to get all wrinkled and ruined from being scrunched with the other stuff. I also had a bathing suit in the back seat that was bought for me for my birthday by my boyfriend this passed couple of months. It was pulled out because I was going swimming with some people that afternoon. I had a business suit that I bought from dillards a few days prior to leaving california. The tags were still on the outfit, but I dont have the receipt and I dont have the bag it came in anymore. Because I felt as thought I didn't need them. They took all the clothes out of the back of my car and put them in a bag saying that I had stolen the stuff and unless I come up with reciepts or proof of payment I dont get them back. There was only part of the bathing suit that they had taken too, the other half was in the back of the trunk, but they didn't bother looking for it. Well the homecoming dress I bought over a year ago. The halloween dress they should have known because the whole emsemble was in the backseat. Wings, Nylons, everything! I've had it for 3 or more years. They had told me it was suspicous because this stuff was just tossed in the back of the seat...it wasn't! It was neatly folded in the passanger side. The officer also read me my rights prior to asking me any questions. Is that allowed?

My question is, are they allowed to take things out of my car, search my car without my consent, tell me that they watched me and video taped me?

**A: yes.
*****

If you are unable to help me, do you know of someone who may answer my questions?

Thank You
**A: you're welcome.
 
K

krystylb

Guest
The officer had told me that if i do not show proof of the purchases that he took out of my car that I would not get them back. I dont have any receipts only friends and family that will be able to say that they were there when I purchased these items. Is that sufficent enough?
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
krystylb said:
The officer had told me that if i do not show proof of the purchases that he took out of my car that I would not get them back. I dont have any receipts only friends and family that will be able to say that they were there when I purchased these items. Is that sufficent enough?
**A: why would they believe you? You're a shoplifter.
 
K

krystylb

Guest
i have had several of those things for a long time, and they had obviously been worn a couple of times. Some of them even washed numerous amounts of time to show some wear into them.
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
krystylb said:
i have had several of those things for a long time, and they had obviously been worn a couple of times. Some of them even washed numerous amounts of time to show some wear into them.
**A: so what you are telling us is that all shoplifted items must be brand new?
 
K

krystylb

Guest
How am i supposed to prove something that i purchased 3 years ago? To prove that it wasn't stolen?
 

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