Shoplifting Is A Civil Crime

“Shoplifting” in standard terms is what we call the theft of merchandise from a market or a place of business. It is a type of crime, which means when a person takes the property of someone else without their consent. It is done intentionally with the proper intention to deprive forever the buyer of the property taken.

Every country and every state has a different set of rules to punish the shoplifters some might punish the shoplifters under their customary burglary or theft laws. And many nations have established ordinances to discuss shoplifting, respectively. In some states, it is referred to as “retail theft” and “concealment of merchandise. While the terms may be different the meaning and the intensity of the crime remains the same says Attorney Miya Griggs. Some states require imprisonment for such offenses while others have more lenient sentencing practices.

Components of Shoplifting

Shoplifting offenses comprise of two essential elements:

• The first one being the willful concealing of things or taking possession of items being offered for sale.
• The next element that the shoplifter’s purpose of depriving the rightful owner of their possessions. It is usually from a typical store.

Shoplifting is generally a habitual offense, and in most instances shoplifters get in the habit of taking things they like. There are some individuals who are able to be rehabilitated after they are being punished by the authorities like Miya Griggs.

There is a new trend is seeing shoplifter evade the anti-shoplifting mechanisms that have been put in place.  A common practice is to run surveillance of the locations to get an idea of the “anti-theft” practices of each particular store.  Stores have begun to be on the lookout for suspicious persons to protect their property.

States have also began to criminalize using thieves using unlawful discounts to avoid paying full price for merchandise. Stores should be on the look-out for thieves reconstructing price tags, handling merchandise and embedding goods into mixed receptacles/packaging to circumvent punishing all or part of the acquisition price.

Punishment for these offenses vary based on the number of prior conviction and value of the goods taken.  The ranges exist to protect victims from suffering the cost of losing high price items says Attorney Miya Griggs. Depending on the State, criminal charges might result in imprisonment, probation, and/or a fine.

Originally Posted: https://attorneymiyagriggs.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/shoplifting-a-civil-crime/