Shoplifting laws across the United States vary and some states can and will change the laws as they see fit. Laws in Arkansas, Georgia or Indiana may well be worded differently but the truth is shoplifting is a crime and shoplifters may face criminal charges or a misdemeanor. The National Association for Shoplifting Prevention has a page with the laws for every single state in the United States and the laws governing shoplifting and what it entails. Follow the links to see more about this topic.
Alleged shoplifter flees scene with kids in car, crashes
CABOT, Ark. (KTHV) – A man is charged with numerous felonies after allegedly fleeing the scene of a shoplifting at a Cabot Walmart with four children inside the vehicle.
Sgt. Keith Graham said officers responded to the Walmart on S. Rockwood June 16 just before 7:45 p.m. about a shoplifter fleeing the store. After chasing the suspect through the neighboring Dixie Café, the suspect then got into a gold Suburban and fled the area.
Officers began chasing the suspect from the Walmart to 67/167 southbound. Graham said the gold Suburban took exit 16 at a high rate of speed, then lost control of the vehicle and it flipped, coming to rest in a ditch long the roadway.
The driver, 28-year-old Christopher Carver, was taken into custody after the accident, and while searching the vehicle, officers found four small children inside. They were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital to be checked out.
Carver was taken to North Metro Hospital for minor injuries, and then transported to the Cabot Police Dept.
He is charged with shoplifting, fleeing, two counts kidnapping, second degree battery, and four counts of first degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
He is currently being held on $100,000 bond.
Local Stores Meet In An Effort To Prevent Shoplifting
Competitors are coming together to combat a big problem in Grand Island: shoplifting.
Grand Island Police brought local stores together for a second meeting Tuesday.
Shoplifting isn’t a huge problem at Carla Jensen’s store, but she knows the consequences if it becomes one.
“If there’s no money coming in, if it walks out the door, that means no money goes in my pocket or no money goes to the store,” said Jensen, owner of Royalty Boutique. “If there’s not enough in there to pay the bills then the store shuts down.”
G.I. Police Officer Butch Hurst said other local stores are being hit hard by thieves.
“It’s fairly severe,” Hurst said of the problem.
That’s why retailers – big and small – are coming together to swap information on the shoplifters they’re encountering.
“If they have photographs or digital, they show it to each other and say ‘hey, do you know this person,'” said Hurst.
Police want that information too.
Storeowners complain new shoplifting law in Indiana too lax
INDIANAPOLIS — Retailers are relieved that lawmakers have fixed an error in a new criminal law that would have made it tough to arrest shoplifters. Now they want a harsher penalty restored for thieves.
They contend the real problem with the new criminal code that goes into effect July 1 is a provision that drops theft from a felony to misdemeanor if the stolen goods are valued at less than $750.
“We’ve got a huge problem with that,” said Grant Monahan, head of the Indiana Retail Council, which represents thousands of store owners statewide.
On Tuesday, the General Assembly met in an unusual session to make “technical corrections” to the 400-plus page bill that overhauled crime and punishment in Indiana. While toughening penalties for violent crimes, the new law reduces punishments for some theft and drug possession crimes by making them into misdemeanors that are rarely punished with prison time.
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