arrested for theft

What is the name of your state? California

I was caught stealing merchandise from JcPenny's store... the "secret shopper" made me come back to the store's "Loss Prevention" questioning room where I was held for a little more than 3 hours before the police finally came to release me. Is this legal?

daysassailors said:

What is the name of your state? California

I was caught stealing merchandise from JcPenny's store... the "secret shopper" made me come back to the store's "Loss Prevention" questioning room where I was held for a little more than 3 hours before the police finally came to release me. Is this legal?

Click to expand...

Almost certainly.

They are under no legal obligation to let you go after they have effectively detained you for theft. Their legal obligation under CA law is then to turn you over to law enforcement or let you go. They turned you over to law enforcement. Ergo, legal.

Unless they tortured you or somehow abused you, there is nothing untoward here, and three hours - while at the high end of time - is not unheard of in many places. By the time the Loss Prevention people get done with their paperwork and call the cops, and by the time an officer is clear to respond, two hours have likely passed. Since this is not a high priority call for the cops, it could be even MORE time before the officers are dispatched.

- Carl

that was exactly what happened! haha. thank you for your response.