Shoplifting is a crime of theft that can carry a variety of potential punishments. A suspected shoplifter is usually contacted and detained by store security after being observed taking merchandise from the merchant without paying for it. A commonly asked question by those accused of the offense is what are the potential consequences and how are they going to be treated by the criminal justice system and the Court? The answer to that question depends on what steps are taken by the accused shoplifter immediately after the event. If the individual becomes proactive and seeks the assistance of a local lawyer, the outcome can, and often will be very different than for those who do nothing and bury their head in the sand hoping it will all go away. As a criminal defense attorney representing clients accused of shoplifting and theft for close to 15 years, Matthew Ruff has the firsthand knowledge and expertise to resolve these particularly embarrassing situations and work towards obtaining a disposition that, in many cases, does not result in a criminal conviction that will haunt an individual for the rest of their lives.
Unfortunately, many folks make the crucial mistake of listening to well intentioned friends who have been arrested or "jail house lawyers" and other non-legal professionals who tell them to save their money and go to Court and plead no contest for probation. The long term consequences of this decision can be devastating. Employers are more and more doing exhaustive criminal records checks on prospective employees and consider a shoplifting conviction to be a serious act of dishonesty, justifying the denial of employment. A
criminal defense attorney who knows the local customs and practices of the Court can often find an alternative to a criminal conviction, for example: civil compromise with the store, informal diversion, city attorney alternative disposition, conditional dismissal, infraction adjudications, reductions to non-theft offenses, dismissals due to insufficiency of the evidence, are all methods that can be utilized in a shoplifting case to mitigate the result. Mr. Ruff has been an innovator in finding ways to help his clients avoid a permanent scar on their record when cited or arrested for shoplifting. For example, in cases involving second time offenders he has, if retained soon after the event, resolved theft charges by implementing a counseling plan with recognized providers. In addition, he can go to Court for the client when necessary, thereby sparing his already fragile clients the embarrassment of a public appearance before a Judge in a open Court of Law.
A frequently asked question regarding a shoplifting arrest is whether the District Attorney must have a videotape of the act in order to convict in Court. The simple answer to that question is no. A shoplifting case usually involves observations by loss prevention officers, other eyewitnesses and admissions and possible confessions by the accused. The good news is that an experienced attorney can often punch significant holes in the case to raise reasonable doubt in an effort to either get the charges reduced or dismissed in many instances.
When evaluating an attorney to defend you on a shoplifting case it is important to find a lawyer who has a track record of good results. Mr. Ruff has such a track record, in fact in one recent case he was able to have petty theft charges dropped for a client who had a prior less than a year before the current arrest in Torrance. She was distraught and suffering from severe anxiety due to the fact she was a teacher and was already getting letters from the licensing agency asking her to respond to the charges. Matthew Ruff took her case and handled the letters from the state, he further persuaded the city prosecutor in South Bay Court to dismiss the theft charge in April of 2009 with no jail or shoplifting conviction.
What is imperative in all shoplifting cases is hiring a defense lawyer immediately after the person is released from custody. Matthew Ruff has been able to initiate contact with store counsel in many cases and negotiate what some refer to as a "civil compromise" wherein the client pays statutory civil penalties and costs to the victim in exchange for a commitment to not seek criminal prosecution. In one recent case the attorney was hired by a Los Angeles Shoplifting client detained at a mall store in Santa Monica. Mr. Ruff took vital steps to secure a release from the store's law firm in consideration for a nominal civil payment, case closed!
Contact Matthew Ruff directly at 310-527-4100 for a discreet no obligation consultation about your shoplifting case, his fees are affordable and he will handle the case personally, limiting the necessity of having to discuss the case with non-lawyers such as paralegals, secretarys and legal assistants. He defends cases throughout Los Angeles and Kern County, Torrance, Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Gardena, Hermosa Beach, South Bay, El Segundo, Burbank, Glendale, Redondo Beach, Van Nuys, LAX Los Angeles Airport among many other Courts.