How long will you spend in jail if you shoplift?

Answer 1

1 week to life depending on what part of the world you're from.

It definitely does depend on where you are from and the amount you stole and also it will depend on if it is your 1st offense or not. You most likely will spend maybe about 5 1/2 months in jail and possible something like 6 months probation and sometimes they may order you to do community service but it is more unlikely that you will get a jail term, but do expect to pay restitution and do community service for your crime

Answer 2

How long a store can detain you for suspected shoplifting is completely circumstance driven. The store must quickly determine if a crime has occurred. If they keep you waiting in a back room for longer than necessary to make that determination, you can bring charges of 'false imprisonment' against them. You have not committed shoplifting until you have exited the store. Even if you're walking around the store with merchandise in your pocket, you still have the opportunity to pay for it. Upon exiting, it's apparent you had no intention of paying for the stuff. At that point the store can stop you, ask you to give it back, offer to let you pay (in case you forgot it was in your pocket) or they can call the police to arrest you. Ten minutes is usually enough time for this to happen. The problem arises when the store personnel want to teach you a lesson and makes you sit in the backroom for 1/2 hour or longer to stew. That is, indeed, false imprisonment. ADDED: Some (BUT NOT ALL) of the above answer is applicable. It is NOT necessary that you leave the store for the offense to occur. If the store has evidence (videotape - personal observation - etc) of the fact that you CONCEALED the merchandiise, or that you passed a "manned point of payment" (i.e.- cash register or checkout counter) there are court rulings that the circumstances are sufficient to show the intent to commit the offense. ALSO, although the store itself may have such a policy, there is no requirement IN LAW that the store offer you the option of giving the stolen merchandise back when they ask. In many jursidictions, and particularly in the large chain stores, the security people actually are commissioned Special Officers who do have the powers of arrest on their property and can detain you as long as needed to accomplish the necessary paperwork and issue summonses to court. If you resist them it is the same as resisting a police officer. ON THE OTHER HAND - if the store employee is NOT a special officer AND the store intends to press larceny charges, once they notify the authorities that they are holding you and the reason, they can detain you for the time it takes the police arrive and take you into their custody. The first answer IS entirely correct in the statement that the store may NOT inconvenience you by detaining you simply to "teach you a lesson" and then subsequently let you go without placing criminal charges. That definitely would be False Imprisonment. MORAL OF THE STORY: Simple! Don't mess around in stores! How hard is that?