My friend and I were at a grocery store---he put something in my bag (unbeknowst to me, because my bag was in the shopping cart and he was pushing the cart) and as we left an undercover security officer asked to search my bag. I obviously allowed him to, seeing no harm having not known that my friend stole something. He was quite aggressive so I put up a bit of a defense and eventually the cops were called and we were BOTH arrested. We have already spoken to a lawyer and now we are all playing the waiting game until the court date where hopefully the charges against me will be dropped and nothing too catastrophic will happen to my friend. Yesterday, my friend received a letter from the law firm that represents the grocery store demanding him to pay $275 in damages. I thought that this usually happens when the retail vendor / store etc. does not involve the law, and even then the letter is usually from the store and not from the law firm. I have not received the letter (yet). What will be the consequence of not paying these fees, and what is the likelihood that I will also receive this letter? Or is the store just trying to sue for some odd amount of money and chose a random person? Any help is appreciated, thanks.

If you research this you will see that the result has varied - some people have done nothing and never heard another word; others have done nothing and the store has taken a hard stand in Court.

And, by the way, it's not extortion. It cost the store time and money because you or your friend or both of you shoplifted. They are trying to get that money back.