Caught!
Got caught at JCP - this js only the third time in 8 yrs I have been caught, and the only time it’s gone “on record”. So my record is totallyclean minus this misdemeanor.
I asked a shitton of questions about LP and kept mostly calm, so it was fast. They chatted with me for two whole hours bc I was compliant and polite and sorry, and I said it was the first time I ever took stuff OUT of a store - told them I put it back before bc I felt bad but I don’t know why I did something stupid this time.
It is literally NOT that bad if you’re honest - remember we are thieves. Remember that THIS WILL HAPPEN if you get caught. They were super nice to me bc I was honest and quiet. If you are caught please stay calm and make the situation work to your advantage. If you have LP who are decent to you, ask questions. They answered all of mine, they even told me to apply if I needed a job bc they were hiring and they don’t take offenses into account.
Notes:
JCP calls the police and that’s why it’s taken seriously, and the cops come. Sears, JCP and Bloomingdales are the only stores that have hands on policies. Everywhere else cannot touch you.
The JCP LP who took me in was a huge guy but he waa really nice to me. Of course it was scary but honestly he gently explained to me what happens, walked with me to the back and asked me to give back the stuff I took. He said they saw me in Sephora JCP taking an eyeliner. He gave me a water and a coffee, and said he didn’t think I was a bad person, just that I made a bad mistake and I should do the right thing next time. He said he also had stolen before too and he wasn’t caught, and that we are all humans (he also told me to put him down as a reference for job apps??!? gave me his business card and everything, said to let them call him so I could get a good job and afford better stuff and not be in a place where I felt I needed to steal…)
They have a reaaaally good cam system that can rewind ff etc. and they keep a recording of your action, a photo of you, and a photo of what you tried to steal. This is NOT RELEASED ANYWHERE PUBLICLY OR TO THE COPS - it’s only for the LP of that SPECIFIC store to have on file. They will then know to look for you if you come in.
They call the cops and if you have ID they keep you for up to 2 hrs max. IF YOU DON’T HAVE ID THEY WILL KEEP YOU TILL COPS COME NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES. If the cops do not come within 2hrs with ID, they have to let you go, and then you fill out paperwork for 15 min.
They file it as a misdemeanor. IN CALIFORNIA it’s about as serious as a traffic or vandalism or posession of weed ticket, meaning it’s small and won’t show on background checks for school or work (unlike a felony or a criminal offense which they ACTIVELY search for). It will go on your record but it “shouldn’t” impede job etc. bc it falls under minor lawbreaking. (Aka stuff that the govt expects everyone to do in their lifetime at some point.) I am a legal adult and will be tried/fined as such, so they do not contact my parents.
You will receive a court notice in the mail from the police, and a notice from JCP in the mail OR a call from their firm.
Court notice will come w a citation fine (not JCP, the city) and the fine is max $1000. The LP told me that the court notice can be called and you can handle it over the phone without having to go to court.
The notice from JCP is a fine from the company regarding the stuff you stole. If it’s undamaged and resaleable, the fine may be lower. If you stole really small amount the fine may be lower. JCP charges max $300. You can call the law firm that works with JCP and negotiate a lower fine.
They only saw me take 3 things from JCP Sephora on camera - I gave back 5 things from JCP Sephora but I kept the two sweaters I concealed in the dressing room. They are not allowed to touch or search your things, he asked me to be 100% honest and give back what I took, and that he wouldn’t make me empty my bag out etc. I must have seemed honest bc he believed me when I gave only the makeup back. My total makeup was $227.
They do not ban you from the store but he did encourage that I go to a different JCP if I wanted to buy stuff, bc they do watch you if they have your info from a prior attempt.
…I still walked away with about $40 in sweaters though.
TBH I can afford the fine and I prepared for this situation in the event it occurred. It is a first time offence so it’s most likely just going to be paying the JCP and city fees and that’s it. I had put money away in case this happened.
So in summary.
Please don’t ever forget we are thieves. We are STEALING.
We are all breaking the law and we know it.
Please be ready in case this happens, to handle the consequences however you have planned. It is an EVENTUALITY that you WILL be caught. It’s just the way the world works. I am intensely lucky that in 8 yrs this is the only time it’s on my record, and that it’s happening at the time when I’m preparing to end my lifting career in a month or so.
You may not be as lucky as I was to get LP who won’t treat you like scum on the ground. But even if it’s minor we ARE criminals.
Always remember that one thing y'know. We are.
Very important to remember. What we dk is illegal and can have serious consequences if caught
What we do is illegal, we should never forget how dangerous this really is.
