Welcome toEvil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks wed usually refrain from recommending.
Weve got all the info you’re gonna wanna be successfully unsavory.
If youre detained for shopliftingregardless of whether youre innocent or guiltyyou have rights.
And being that its Evil Week, maybe youre guilty?
Whos to say, really?
When can a store detain you for shoplifting?
First, a witness or employee needs to establish probable cause.
Depending on your jurisdiction, you cannot even be approached until youve left the store premises.
In some cases, theyll threaten to call the police if you dont cooperate.
In all cases, security needs probable cause, but how strong that case needs to be can vary.
Can you talk your way out of a shoplifting charge?
When store security approaches you, theyre acting within a limited and specific jurisdiction and base of authority.
At any time, you have the right to request a police presence and legal representation.
Keep in mind most retailers havevery specific guidelines about how a customer is to be approached and detained.
You, then, have the right to not incriminate yourself and to obtain legal representation.
What you should do when youve been caught shoplifting
The best thing to do is cooperate.
If the police are called and the store has appropriately established probable cause, the police can search you.
Most will at least demand that you never return to the store.
If youve been wrongly detained, cooperation is still likely your best route.
This way, you might get out of the situation quickly and address the offense on your own terms.
Even so, being belligerent and hot-headed wont help you in a situation like this.
Cooperate and be honest and youll likely get out of the situation with no trouble at all.
You may be able to sue for false arrest or false imprisonment.
