Can you be arrested for shoplifting after you leave the store?

Question

My friend's sister stole about $100 worth of stuff from a Fred Meyer. Can police track her down if they have her plates even after she no longer has the items?

Answer 1

YES

Answer 2

Simple answer : Yes

Answer 3

YES, if they can prove it for example if they capture her by CCTV then the court will convict her guilty and not only she should pay the cost of stolen stuff back but also she should pay more than twice as find.

if she do it again this time you they will add jail punishment as well.

Answer 4

ya, tracking people down wont change if she has the items or not, if there is suficent evidence she can be charged with shop lifting and possible other charges for ditributing the items. Stealing is stealing.

Answer 5

Well, she can't be arrested before she leaves the shop - thats called browsing, even if the stuff is down her top or in her bag.

If they haven't caught up with her by now, they probably can't get conclusive evidence from the CCTV or can't pin anything on her.  

I worked in a shop for 4 years and despite all the CCTV we handed over the police, we only caught a handful.  And half of those were our own employees......

Answer 6

It is a curious aspect of the law in QLD Australia, that if you leave the store the offence is a fairly minor one called unlawfully dealing with shop goods. If you for example remove the security tags and place the items down you pants but do not leave the store the offence is more serious and pursued under the QLD criminal code offence of stealing which carries a 5 year max penalty.

In answer to your question your friend has stolen and if there is sufficient evidence then she can be prosecuted even months after she left the store.

Answer 7

Yes.  If the Police develop probable cause that she stole the items then she can be charged with the crime.

Answer 8

If they have proof that she stole the items, they can arrest her, but since she doesn't have the items any longer, it might be hard to make charges stick in a court of law.

Answer 9

depends if store has cctv and know its her... she shouldnt be shoplifting and yes she can be arrested

Answer 10

yes they can very easily

Answer 11

Of course they can.  Why do you think tehy have databases with that kind of information available to them.  Your friend is a thief and if you were involved in help9ing her steal teh items, or moving them then you are involved in the crime as well.  You might want to distance yourself from this individual as the adage once a thief always a thief will come back to haunt you.

Answer 12

When you leave the store that is when you commit the offence and if they have it on CCTV shes nicked. So the answer is YES..

Answer 13

you can only be assisted after you have left the shop its not shop lifting unless u leave with out paying!!!!!!!!

Answer 14

Yes and the charges stick because you were caught with the goods outside the store. However, I doubt your friend will get caught this time. If she stole big time and an employee from Fred Meyer was reading your question, your IP address could be used to track you down and you being questioned as to who your friend is. But thats if she stole big.