Walk It Through: The Shoplifting Stop
A store guard at the door, a back office, a phone call, and a small charge with a big record.
A store guard stops a shopper at the door, saying a bottle of shampoo went into a bag.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
A first retail theft of low value by an adult. A minor detained by a store, repeat offenses, and the store's civil claim for damages are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.