You might scoff at the idea that someone could “accidentally shoplift” – until you mistakenly do it yourself. Maybe you had a lot on your mind while you were shopping and simply forgot to go through the checkout line. Or maybe you were shopping with your kids and failed to notice the youngest slipping a small item into your pocket or purse. Whatever the case, you may now find yourself facing retail theft charges over an honest mistake.

 

Although [...]

The majority of white shoppers probably don’t give too much thought to walking into a store and passing a security officer. However, many African-Americans and other people of color have a different experience. In some cases, black shoppers have even been accused of or charged with retail theft for items that they legally purchased.

 

Detroit Civil Rights Attorney Accused of Shoplifting

 

One of the most recent high-profile incidences of this alleged racial profiling in retail stores comes from [...]

If you’re charged with shoplifting as a teenager, you may face worse consequences than just a slap on the wrist from the retailer and the wrath of your parents. In response to a rise in lost money from stolen merchandise, retailers in Illinois and across the country are taking an increasingly hard line with shoplifters of all ages, in some cases reducing the age to press charges from 18 to 16 and the “reasonable” period to wait for the parents [...]