Getting accused of shoplifting is embarrassing, stressful, and potentially damaging. Stores and police often treat these cases far more aggressively than people expect, even when the value is low and even when the accusation is based on a misunderstanding, a mistake at self-checkout, or an overzealous loss prevention employee. A theft charge can threaten your job, your reputation, and your future. I can help you fight it.
Shoplifting Is Theft in Maryland
Maryland does not have a separate crime called “shoplifting” with its own special penalty structure. In most cases, shoplifting is charged under the ordinary Maryland theft statute. The maximum punishments depend mainly on the value involved. In practice, many other things are important, including prior theft convictions, the circumstances of the crime, and other factors.
Even when the alleged value is low enough to keep the case a misdemeanor, a theft conviction can still be a serious problem. Theft is viewed as a crime that makes you untrustworthy, and sometimes unemployable. Employers, landlords, schools, and licensing boards are often very concerned with charges that indicate that you are untrustworthy.
Common Shoplifting Situations
Self-checkout accusations
Many store theft cases now come out of self-checkout. A missed scan, a barcode that did not register, produce entered under the wrong code, or an item left in the cart can all turn into a criminal accusation.
Concealment allegations
Sometimes the allegation is not that you actually left the store, but that you concealed merchandise or moved it in a suspicious way. Those cases often depend heavily on assumptions about intent. Context matters, and can make a huge difference in the outcome.
Detention by store security
Loss prevention employees make assumptions that are not always correct, and sometimes they jump to unjustified conclusions. Just because the store employee thought that you did something wrong, doesn’t mean that you necessarily did.
Defenses in a Shoplifting Case
Every case is different, but shoplifting defenses can involve lack of intent, mistaken identification, bad assumptions by store security, incomplete surveillance video, or exaggerated merchandise values. Statements made in the heat of the moment can also matter a lot, but that does not mean the case is hopeless. These cases do not go away on their own, even for first time offenders. Let me help you fix your problem.
These cases turn on details that people often do not realize matter until it is too late. I look closely at all the facts and circumstances around your case, including what the witnesses actually saw, what the video really shows, when the police got involved, and whether any value claims actually hold up. A small change in the facts can make a big difference in the outcome.
Do Not Assume a Low Dollar Value Means a Low Risk Case
People are often tempted to treat a shoplifting charge as something minor that they can simply explain away. Even a low-value theft charge can leave you with a record that follows you for years. In many cases, there are better ways to resolve the charge, and sometimes there are strong grounds to beat it outright. The sooner I get involved, the better your chances are.
If you have been charged with shoplifting in Maryland, call me at (301) 556-8709. I offer flat fees in almost every case, and I prepare every case for trial from the beginning. All phone messages are returned within 24 hours.
