ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Shoplifting & Retail Theft Defense | Haskell & Dyer
One Bad Moment in a Store Should Not Follow You Onto Every Job Application.
Retail theft cases come with their own pressures, from a civil demand letter in the mail to a theft conviction that hurts future jobs. We work to keep a single mistake from becoming a lasting mark, through diversion or dismissal.
If You Got a Letter Demanding Money
The store's demand letter is separate from the criminal case.
Many people get a civil demand letter from a store or its lawyers asking for payment. Paying it does not make the criminal charge go away, and ignoring it does not decide the criminal case either. The two are separate. Talk to a lawyer before you respond to either one.
Two Cases, Not One
The Criminal Charge and the Civil Demand
A shoplifting accusation can come at you from two directions at once. Understanding the difference is the first step.
The Criminal Side
The Theft Charge
Retail theft is charged under Maryland's theft law and graded by value, so it can be a misdemeanor or, for higher amounts, a felony. This is the case that affects your record, and the one we focus on resolving cleanly.
The Civil Side
The Demand Letter
Stores often send a separate letter demanding money, handled by a civil law firm. It is not the criminal case and does not decide it. We help you understand it so you do not make a costly assumption either way.
What We Handle
Common Retail Theft Charges
From a first slip to a more serious accusation, we handle the full range of store cases.
Shoplifting
Concealment of merchandise
Price switching or tag swapping
Return fraud
Self-checkout cases
Organized retail theft claims
Felony value retail theft
Trespass after a store ban
What's at Stake
Smaller Charge, Real Consequences
The penalty may be modest, but a theft conviction is a crime of dishonesty that follows you.
Record
A theft conviction on background checks
Jobs
A dishonesty offense employers weigh heavily
Demand
A separate civil letter asking for payment
Felony
Higher value cases charged as felonies
How We Defend a Shoplifting Charge
These cases are among the most resolvable, and our focus is keeping a conviction off your record.
We Pursue Diversion
For first-time and lower value cases, we push for diversion or probation before judgment that avoids a conviction.
We Challenge Intent
A forgotten item, a self-checkout error, or a misunderstanding is not theft. We show where the intent is missing.
We Question the Value
Value sets the charge. We push back on inflated amounts that turn a minor case into a felony.
We Handle the Demand
We help you understand the civil demand letter so it does not pressure you into a bad decision on the criminal side.
Common Questions
Shoplifting & Retail Theft, Answered
I got a letter from the store demanding money. Do I have to pay it?
That is a civil demand letter, and it is separate from the criminal case. Paying it does not make the charge go away, and it is not the same as a fine from the court. Before you respond, talk to a lawyer, because how you handle it can affect more than you might expect.
It was an honest mistake at self-checkout. Is that still theft?
Not necessarily. Theft requires an intent to take something without paying. A scanning error, a forgotten item in a cart, or a genuine mix-up may lack that intent, and the State has to prove it. The full circumstances of what happened are central to the defense.
Can I keep a shoplifting charge off my record?
Often, yes. First-time and lower value retail theft cases frequently qualify for diversion or probation before judgment that avoid a conviction, and we look at expungement where it applies. Protecting your record is usually the central goal, and there are real paths to it.
The store already banned me. Is the case basically decided?
No. A store's decision to ban you is its own choice and separate from the criminal case. The State still has to prove what happened in court, and a store policy does not decide the outcome. We handle the actual charge on its own terms.
Can shoplifting be a felony?
It can, when the claimed value is high enough or when the case is charged as organized retail theft. Because value drives the charge, challenging an inflated amount can keep a case in misdemeanor range. We press hard on the value when the felony line is in play.
Charged With Shoplifting? Let's Keep It Off Your Record.
These cases are often resolvable, and the right move early can keep a conviction away. Tell us what happened and get an honest read on your options. The first conversation is free.
Need us after hours? Call our 24/7 line: 240-687-0179
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC
Fax: 301-627-5848
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