Living the life of a college student means that things are sometimes tight financially since college is pretty expensive. Many young adults will wait patiently to get the things they need, and some have a strong support system that will help provide those. Unfortunately, there are others who don’t have any help and might find that they desperately need things.
One thing that they shouldn’t try to do is to walk out of a store with items that they didn’t purchase. Being desperate for something, even food, isn’t a valid reason to shoplift. In Georgia, you can be accused of shoplifting for simply concealing something, which means that you don’t have to attempt to walk out of the store with it in order to be charged.
Another facet of shoplifting that some people don’t know about has to do with the price tags for items. You can’t change the price on items because doing so deprives the shop of their full profit for the item that you aren’t paying the full price for.
It is possible for shoplifting to be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. The value of the merchandise is what determines this. The number of shoplifting events you have in the same county can also determine how this is charged. Typically, you’ll face a misdemeanor if the cumulative value of the stolen items is $500 or less, but more than that is a felony.
For some college students, the need address criminal matters appropriately is especially important. Most of these young adults don’t want a mistake like retail theft to impact their future. Working with a lawyer who’s familiar with these situations is beneficial. Make sure they’re familiar with all the charges you’re facing, including retail theft and even assault if things got physical when you were approached regarding the shoplifting.