Consequences For Shoplifting
It is believed that at least 90 percent of Americans have shoplifted at some point of time in their lives. The seriousness of the crime depends on the market value of the product that has been stolen. If the item costs less than $500, the offence is considered a minor crime. If the item costs more than $500, the offender can be charged under a more serious felony crime. The country experiences a whopping 16 million dollars loss every year because of shoplifting. |
The offence is serious and can amount to varying degrees of punishment depending on the item stolen and the frequency of the person’s shoplifting tactics. For teenagers who have committed shoplifting for the first time, they would be asked to take part in community services to keep them focused in the right way. After completing the service, the teen’s name would be removed from the list of shoplifters.
For people who commit repeated offences, his/her name would be enrolled in the criminal record. This charge is quite serious and can permanently damage the person’s reputation. The records will be made public for people, federal agencies, homeowners, loan lenders, etc. making it quite difficult for anyone to trust the offender and lend anything out.
If convicted several times, the person’s DNA would be recorded. In some cases, the person will not be allowed to move out from one state to another or to a different country.
Numerous people are fooled into thinking that they can outrun the law and will not be caught. However, being listed as a shoplifter has severe repercussions on the person’s character and personality.
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