Simple Shoplifting, under Certain Circumstances, Can Turn into a Felony.
Shoplifting used to be one of those teenaged-type crimes, where experimenting young people would get in trouble, get a slap on the wrist, learn their lesson and go on about their way.
But, in North Carolina, and thanks to lobbying by retail companies, what seems like a simple misdemeanor shoplifting can easily turn into a felony. If a person uses some tool or otherwise removes or destroys an anti-theft device (such as those annoying little magnetic things that hang from clothes in retail stores), the shoplifting becomes a Class H felony punishable, in the worst case scenario by upwards of 38 months. Similarly if a person uses an emergency exit door and takes goods worth $200 or more, that too constitutes a Class H felony.
Of course, a good attorney will work and advocate for a reduction in the charge, if the facts against the defendant are significant; however, it’s important to know that the simple shoplifting has the possibility to result in a felony record.
Contact our Greensboro criminal defense attorneys, who operate in Greensboro, High Point and Randolph County for a free consultation today.