The holiday season can be a stressful and unpredictable time of year. From Halloween through New Year’s Day, there are certain behaviors that are more prevalent than other times of the year. One of the most widespread offenses during these months is shoplifting.
Consumerism, stress, alcohol, family issues and financial difficulties are all factors that play a role in shoplifting during the holidays. If you find yourself in a jail cell for shoplifting, the joy of the holidays does not have to be over. Here are the next steps you should take to get the best outcome possible.
Remain silent
Be careful about making any statements to the police officers, security guards or store staff, a manager or the owner. Anything you say may backfire in court. If you try to explain the situation, you may accidentally say something that hurts your case. Let your criminal defense attorney do the talking.
Be calm
You may get angry if the cops arrest you for shoplifting whether you are guilty or not. Getting arrested is never a fun situation, especially if you feel that it is unfair. However, giving in to your anger will only make matters worse. Try to take deep breaths and remain calm when interacting with the police.
Defend the charges
Do not assume you need to immediately plead guilty. You and your lawyer may be able to exercise various defense options to fight the charges. For example, you may be able to dispute the facts by using video surveillance footage. In other cases, you may be able to enter into a pre-trial plea agreement to resolve the situation. Just because the police and prosecutors are intimidating does not necessarily mean you will end up with a conviction.
