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Josue0096 · Sep 5, 2011, 12:22 AM

I did something really dumb when I was 18. I stole a few thousand dollars from the register I was working at when employed. This was back in 2001. I went back to the store a couple of weeks after it happened and the manager wanted to talk to me, but I left out of fear. I never heard from my employer after that. I know the Police showed up at my door once, but I never answered. Its been ten years and I never heard anything, I'm not hiding either. I've worked a few jobs that required background checks and I've been pulled over by police for speeding a few times and nothing showed up on my background checks. Just wondering if I should still be worried about getting arrested in the future, or is it probably a done deal. That was the only time I ever stole anything and have never done that again.

CliffARobinson · Sep 5, 2011, 02:05 AM

What state did this happen in and have you stayed in the state the entire time?

Did you return the money when you were remorseful?

excon · Sep 5, 2011, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by Josue0096

Just wondering if I should still be worried about getting arrested in the future, or is it probably a done deal

Hello J:

Nahhh.. The statute of limitations has long passed. Even if they wanted to, they CAN'T bring charges now.

excon

Fr_Chuck · Sep 5, 2011, 08:44 AM

Unless there was a warrant issued for your arrest at the time it happened, the SOL has ran out by now. Unlike TV, police do not always run a NCIC criminal check on everyone they stop for traffic tickets.

CliffARobinson · Sep 5, 2011, 12:22 PM

There are exceptions to statute of limitations. That is why I asked what state and if the person was in the state the entire time since the incident. The clock on the SOL can stop running if it is being 'Tolled' for several reasons, depending on the state you live in.

The most common instance is when someone leaves the state in which the crime was committed.

The statute of limitations is tolled for any period when the defendant is continuously absent from the state or has no reasonably ascertainable place of abode or work within the state, up to a maximum of 3 years.

Other circumstances where the SOL can be tolled include crimes with weapons, where anyone was injured or died, sex crimes, crimes against children, crimes against the public trust, etc.

Since it has been over ten years, more than likely your crime has run out the clock.

Fr_Chuck · Sep 5, 2011, 01:16 PM

The key cliff is he would have had to be charged, ( to be a defendant) so if he was never charged, the SOL would have ran out after 10 years in any state.

CliffARobinson · Sep 5, 2011, 01:36 PM

"The clock begins on the day the crime was committed and stops on the date a defendant is charged with a crime".

The clock on time limits set forth in statutes of limitations normally starts ticking on the date that a crime takes place, and stops on the date that a defendant is charged with a crime. However, in certain circumstances, the statute of limitations may be tolled, which means that the clock does not start to run or is temporarily stopped due to some condition. A defendant's own actions may result in the tolling of time limits," for example, if the person leaves the state. This means that though time is passing, the clock is not ticking and the statute of limitations is not expiring. There are other issues that can arise with statute of limitations. For example, when a crime unfolds over a period of days, months, or even years, prosecutors and defense attorneys may have conflicting positions about when the statute of limitations started to run or was tolled.

Source of statute of limitation explanation