Theft

Shoplifting is often seen as a minor criminal offense by the general public. Many adults remember attempting to steal a candy bar as a child or know somebody who has swiped a lipstick or two from a drug store. These instances of theft may seem harmless, but stealing is not a victimless crime. Retail stores […]

When you are short on cash, shoplifting or retail theft can be very tempting. After all, stores have to expect some percentage of losses. A lot of merchandise simply gets damaged by careless employees or clumsy shoppers. And, when a store expects you to scan your own purchases, it is hardly your fault when the

In Illinois, law enforcement officials and prosecutors have the right to upgrade charges against a defendant if their alleged crime rises to or exceeds certain thresholds defined in the state’s criminal code. One common example of charges which may be upgraded occurs when an offense crosses the line between misdemeanor shoplifting and felony theft. Smart

Shoplifting can be detrimental to business owners, as billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise are stolen from retail stores every year. Often, the holiday season is the time of year when shoplifting is especially problematic. In a season that lasts just over a month, shoplifters cost retail stores approximately $6 billion. The toll is especially

During the holiday shopping season, the stores are filled with people looking for gifts and spending plenty of money. However, this is also the time of year when store owners must deal with more incidents of retail theft committed by their own employees. Loss Prevention Efforts Reports indicate that many large retailers have cut back

In an ideal world, nobody would be above the law. Our world, of course, is not perfect, and many individuals—especially business leaders and politicians—seem to get away with things that the average citizen would not. For at least one former Illinois state representative, however, this does not appear to be the case, as she is

An individual charged with shoplifting may later learn they are facing a much more serious felony charge. How did this happen? What should you do? Illinois statutes lay out in detail the difference between theft and retail theft, and within the laws are provisions that allow for prosecutors to upgrade charges from misdemeanor shoplifting to

In a recent post on this blog, we talked a little bit about the differences between two common types of property crimes—specifically the offenses of theft and robbery. That post also made reference to a third offense that is often lumped in with the other two despite being rather different. The crime of burglary is

If you ever watch the news or skim local newspaper, you have probably heard reports of countless individuals who were arrested on suspicion of a wide variety of criminal offenses. When the crime in question involves the taking of someone else’s property , there are several charges that could be brought against the suspect. While

When the average person thinks about shoplifting—which is a form of retail theft —he or she is likely to envision the offender slipping unpurchased merchandise into a purse, under a shirt, or into a pocket. Shoplifting charges, however, cover a broad range of activities that all deprive the store of full payment for the merchandise.

The terms theft, burglary, and robbery are often used synonymously and interchangeably in daily conversation, but the three are not the same. While your friends and family understand it to mean that items were taken without knowledge or approval, in a court of law, these terms indicate various behaviors and thus carry a variety of

Your teen told you they were out with friends—perhaps friends you have met dozens of times and you know their parents. At first, you thought the call was a joke or a prank. Then the realization sets in that your child has been arrested for shoplifting, but they are letting you take them home for