Shoplifting

Is Shoplifting an “Arrest” and how to Resolve a Shoplifting Case

Published on: November 5, 2022 | by The Law Offices of Allan F. Friedman

Shoplifting is a Misdemeanor in Connecticut

Many clients who contact our office about a shoplifting arrest do not think that it is an “arrest” because, in most cases, the police do not put handcuffs on you and bring you to the police station. Rather, most of the time, the police will issue you a misdemeanor summons and complaint ticket. Because these summonses resemble traffic tickets, many people erroneously assume that the fact they were issued a black book ticket means that they were not arrested. On the contrary, a shoplifting charge is usually larceny in the 6th degree, a criminal offense. The difference between larceny in the 6th C.G.S. 53a-125b and larceny in the 5th degree C.G.S. 53a-125a depends on the value of the items alleged to have been stolen. Larceny in the 6th degree covers alleged thefts up to $500 larceny in the 5th-degree covers thefts over $500 to a maximum of $1,000. These are both considered crimes of moral turpitude as they relate to the honesty and trustworthiness of an individual. As such, it is important when charged with shoplifting to contact the best Stamford criminal attorney to explore the best way to get your case resolved without obtaining a criminal record for shoplifting.

In some situations, a good criminal defense attorney can convince the State’s Attorney to nolle or drop the charge based upon mitigating circumstances. In other cases, it may be necessary to use a diversionary program such as the accelerated rehabilitation program. The best course of action is to review the circumstances of your case with an experienced attorney to plan the best approach to resolving your case.

Removing Online Arrrest Articles in Local Newspapers and The Patch

Published on: February 18, 2019 | by The Law Offices of Allan F. Friedman

We Have Many People Calling Us About Internet Arrest Articles

Lately we have been receiving a large number of inquiries from people who have had their Stamford, Darien, Greenwich, Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield and New Canaan criminal cases dismissed but still are finding the old arrest articles are on the internet and causing them problems with job searches and ruining their reputation. Yes we can help you to get these nasty articles removed and manage the situation.

Technology is constantly changing and the world of media is rapidly moving. Just a few years ago most arrest reports were published in print in the so called “Police Blotter” section which only a few local people would read who are hungry for gossip and then they would throw away the newspaper and forget about it. The problem is that with shifts in trends towards the internet and digital media the old fashioned newspaper is quickly becoming unprofitable.

“Investment Bank Top Exec in Shoplift Bust at Whole Foods” – What Shoplifting by Multi Millionaires Teaches us about Shoplifting Cases?

Published on: July 15, 2017 | by The Law Offices of Allan F. Friedman

Stamford-Police-Station-300x225 A recent article in the New York Post described the story of a top executive at a billion dollar investment bank, Jordan Lupu, 42, co-head of global prime brokerage at BMO (Bank of Montreal) Capital Markets who was arrested for shoplifting $210 of grocery items from a Whole Foods store in Manhattan. I guess this story made headlines in New York tabloid media because so many people were shocked that multi millionaire with a $3,000,000 home in Manhattan and a $1,400,000 home in Westchester (a wealthy suburb of New York City) would risk everything to try and steal $210 worth of merchandise which he could clearly afford to pay for.

The alleged facts (according to the reporting of the New York Post)

Lupu was pushing a double stroller through the Whole Foods with his two minor children, while shopping he placed a total of 31 items valued at $210 underneath the stroller and then according to security officers at Whole Foods he then attempted to leave the store without paying for the items.