My friend got caught changing prices on some very expensive dress, it was about $500 worth of clothing. She was changing them in the dressing room.

This is her 3rd time caught changing prices... but at different stores. Other 2 were at walmart, this time it was dillards.

What should she expect happen? Will she be in jail?

We bought tickets to travel to another country for vacation soon.. I sure hope it doesn't interfere with that...

Depending on where you are at , 500 could be a felony, and third time means that the punishment the first two time has not taught them a lesson.

Yes I would expect some jail time

survivorboi, from what I remember from your other posts, you're still pretty young. And I would hate for you to get dragged down by being considered guilty by association. So when you're with this friend of yours, be very careful to keep an eye on her in the stores. That would be terrible if she got caught for something like that or shoplifting and you got in trouble because they thought you were in on it to with her.

I'm 14... I wasn't there when she did it, but she told me and now I'm worried...

Please tell me what to tell her so she could duck jail time. Could she pay some money or something? We bought ticket to go to summer vacation and I would hate to stay home because of this... :'(

Too late for her to do anything but get an attorney and go to court.

I guess I forgot to ask, how old is our friend ? If they are also a minor, is this being done in Juv Court or adult court

This is not shoplifting. She just switched the price tag of one item for another item (to make it cheaper). She was still in the store at the time, not outside of the store. The other 2 times was at different stores.

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Originally Posted by survivorboi

This is not shoplifting. She just switched the price tag of one item for another item (to make it cheaper). She was still in the store at the time, not outside of the store. The other 2 times was at different stores.

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I'm not an expert but I have to wonder if from a legal point if it might be considered the same. It's still screwing the store over.

What happened the last two times she got caught? Was it just a slap on the wrist where her parents were called? Were charges pressed? Anything? I'll bet if you can answer chuck's question about if she's being tried in juve or adult court that he'll be able to give you some advice to pass on to her.

She's over 18.

Please tell me what punishments should she expect?

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Originally Posted by survivorboi

This is her 3rd time caught changing prices...but at different stores. Other 2 were at walmart, this time it was dillards.

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In my neck of the woods, this is called theft.

Yes, actually shoplifting would be the preferred charge.
Theft by conversion is the name in some areas, others will merely call it theft, in others it will be theft and fraud.

So it will depend on your specific state laws and what the DA wants to do.

And I say preferred crime because in 10 years, when trying to get a job, if they see "shop lifting" the applicant can try to play it off as a minor shop lifting and a bad mistake when young, if they see fraud or theft, you may not even get to talk to them.

Switching price tags is shoplifting and/or theft by conversion. Your friend will need to face her punishment.

I'd cancel any plans for going anywhere with her in the future - even to the drug store.