Attemped Shoplift..Crime?

Please just helpful advice, we all make mistakes.


Okay so,
I was shopping at a local Wal-Mart and i had half way opened an item while i was still shoping throughout the store. I admit, I did intend to take it without paying for it. After putting in some thought, I decided not to do it and so put it on a random shlef. Then I payed for my items and was about to leave the store when a employee who was posing as a customer, dressed in regular clothing stoped me and was like "I have a question, are you going to tell me what you did with the item you ripped open? I have you on camera" (Which he may have and may not had seen me on camera..I did notice him around me a lot in the store, but didn't think anything of it) I told him that I had put it back on a shelf and he said "Are you sure?" I assured him. Then he told me "That's distruction of private property (may not have been his exact words) and you don't need to be coming in here and opening things, I'm taking your word that

that you put it back". Then he moved out of my way and let me proceed to walk out to my car. And that is basically the end of it. Do you think there is a chance of me getting into any kind of trouble over this situation law wise? (( The opened item was not harmed, just the packaging and price tag..it was for less than $5.00..it was also put back on one of the sale shelves..and any other item I had was payed for with a sales reciept))

What do you think?

It could be construed as destruction of private property, but the store would have a lot of difficulty proving that you had intentionally opened the product. You could say that the product was already opened and that was the reason why you put it down on another shelf, once you had discovered that the item was damaged.

To effectively be caught for shoplifting, you have to have the item on you, concealed, and walk out of the store with no intention of paying for it. You could have momentarily forgot that you had put that item out of the way, and intended to pay for it, but forgot, and you were about to return to the store to effect payment when security pounced upon you.

The store employee in your case would not have a case at all!

No, although it really is a property infringement. Think about it more next time and do what's right.

It's not attempted shoplifting, but it is damage of property. However, if they wanted to have you prosecuted for anything, they would have made you wait and called the police to take a report. Since they didn't, it's highly unlikely that they will do anything now. He probably got your license plate number just in case any other stuff went missing that day. Don't worry about it, you got off easy this time. Hope you learned a lesson though.

if something was going to happened it would've already happened otherwise no dont worry bout it just be careful going into that store next time

Wow, how embrassing that must have been for you. However Walmart do not have the needed dirt to get you into trouble. In order to make a big deal out of it, Walmart must prove that you have actually pocketed the item. You opened a package, so what, if there was`nt samples available why should you purchase the incorrect color? Also, it is against your rights for an employee to talk to you like that. The store`s security should have approach you instead. It is not employee's job to confront shoppers.

What he said is true..

Opening a package in a store in such a way that makes it unsellable and leaving it on a shelf in the store is illegal in many states. Funny thing is if had bought it and damaged the packaging then brought it back they would have refunded your money.

I guess your lucky Wal-Mart He probablly changed their Loss Prevention into Asset Protection. If you had done that 3 years ago you may had been arrested. At a minimum been formally banned from the store .

Oh and the average Wal-mart does have over 400 cameras inside the store. If he said he had you on camera he actually did. While he stopped you his partner was probably searching the camera files for where you placed the item.