Can I be charged with shoplifting if I was with a person who was but I didn’t and was not around them when they did it?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I be charged with shoplifting if I was with a person who was but I didn’t and was not around them when they did it?
Asked on October 1, 2014 under Criminal Law, Tennessee
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
You could be charged with shoplifting if the authorities believe you in some way assisted the shoplifter (such as acting as a lookout or distraction) or conspired (planned) with them to engage in shoplifting. Conspiracy and "aiding and abetting" (assisting or helping) both allow someone to be charged even if they were not the main person committing the crime or were not physically near where the crime was committed.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.