Judge sends shoplifter to jail

[Curtis Baillie]

The TimesNews.com
Michael D. Abernethy / Times-News

Judge sends shoplifter to jail, cites "national problem"

GRAHAM — Calling a defendant pleading guilty to shoplifting part of “a true national problem,” an Alamance County judge locked a Durham woman up Tuesday for her lengthy theft record, ignoring pleas for leniency.


Lisa Graves, 40, of Cook Road, Durham, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a lesser charge of misdemeanor larceny. She was charged with felony larceny Oct. 14, when she was caught smuggling a bag of merchandise out of the Belk’s department store at Alamance Crossing.

Read the story.

There is some justice out there. Very few receive any jail - and that is the issue.

[BLPA]

We have a always prosecute policy.. . I just thought I would chime in since that's my retailer..

[Curtis Baillie]

Always prosecute? No age limits or other considerations?

[BLPA]

I should of been more clear I'm sorry. We have age limits but basically once they are 12 we will, and under 70 something. If for some reason LP decides we don't think they need to be prosecuted we advise the RLPM and possibly they won't be. Although they still get a civil demand notice regardless.

[capurato]

100% prosecution is a waste.

Judges generally hand down lenient sentences for shoplifting. Community service or probation. Just because we prosecute, doesnt mean jail time.

[BLPA]

I agree with you on that one

[AP716]

Jail for shoplifters? Wow... We apprehended a subject hitting us for X-box units and TVs earlier this year. Turns out he got out of prison after spending 14 years for criminal sexual conduct with a minor and the week he was released started doing push-outs. When we finally caught him and despite being on parole he pled and was out of jail in 8 days! Needles to say he is back at it and we will soon be seeing him in our office again!

[Lpeon]

I am not a fan of allowing discretion of prosecution or not to the Loss Prevention employee. I can get behind blanket policies that say anyone under the age of 10 or over the age of 80 are released but really what is the purpose of making the stop in that situation? Wouldn't it be better to just attempt to recover the merchandise by other means(i.e. burn yourself before they get close to the front). My opinion may be skewed due to the fact that most often when I hear an LP agent wants to release someone its for some odd moral reasons like shes a mom or they are breaking other laws and are going to get in a lot of trouble.

I can see how a 12 year old wouldn't meet my requirements to be safe from prosecution but whats really gonna happen when PD shows up. He/She is going to be charged with shoplifting released to their parents then be required to write a letter of apology to the store and do some community service at their school.

After reading this I can see how maybe decisions could or should be made depending on your partnership with the local Police Department. I know for one of the locations I work at if I called in a 12 year old shoplifter I would get an Officer in five minutes and they wouldn't mind it a bit. Now in the other jurisdiction it would be more like 5 hours(literally) and the Officer would take offense to the fact I had him called out for such a petty thing.

I'm going to leave the first part on just to further the discussion and maybe here sides to the issue I cant think of.