Shoplifting

Highly Experienced Shoplifting Lawyer Providing Award-Winning, Effective Defense to Shoplifting Charges

James Dimeas is a highly experienced, award-winning Shoplifting attorney who has spent over-29 years representing people who have been accused of, and charged with, Shoplifting throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. Criminal defendants who are charged with Shoplifting are often faced with a criminal justice system and Shoplifting laws in Illinois that are stacked against them. When police arrive at the scene of a Shoplifting call, they are conditioned to believe the accusations by store security against an individual that is accused of Shoplifting. It’s as if the person accused of Shoplifting is presumed guilty right off the bat. The presumption of guilt in a Shoplifting case by store security and police continues once you enter the court system. Many judges who handle Shoplifting cases are conditioned to believe that anyone accused of Shoplifting must be guilty. The prosecutors who handle Shoplifting cases are also conditioned and brainwashed to believe that everyone that is charged with Shoplifting must be guilty.

James Dimeas as has been handling Shoplifting cases in this environment for over-29 years. Throughout his over-29 years of handling Shoplifting cases, James Dimeas has seen how aggressive store security and police have become with Shoplifting cases. James Dimeas has seen how aggressive major retailers have become with prosecuting Shoplifting cases throughout the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Different judges in different Courthouses throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County, approach Shoplifting cases differently. James Dimeas is a Shoplifting lawyer who has the knowledge and the extensive experience in handling Shoplifting cases in all the counties and all the Courthouses to properly understand how to effectively and successfully handle Shoplifting cases throughout all of the different counties and all of the different Courthouses in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. James Dimeas is well-respected and admired by the Judges and the Prosecutors that handle Shoplifting cases throughout all of the Courthouse and Courtrooms in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

What Is Shoplifting in Illinois?

The Illinois crime of Shoplifting can be found at 720 ILCS 6/16-25. Basically, you can be arrested and charged with Shoplifting when you walk out of a store, or past the cash registers, without paying for something. There’s other things that you can do that could get you arrested and charged with Shoplifting. Those things include:

• Changing or altering the price tag of something. This could be considered Shoplifting even if you paid for the item. Most people that change or alter a price tag end up paying a lower price for the item.
• Jamming the security system of a store. An example of something like this would be putting an item in a bag that is lined with a substance thatdisables the security system.
• Making a fake return of an item that was stolen.
• Not scanning something at a self-checkout counter. You can be charged with Shoplifting if you paid for some of the items but failed to scan just one item. This has become more common recently.
• You could be charged with Shoplifting when you lease something and fail to return it within 10 days of receiving written notice demanding that you return the item.

Illinois Shoplifting and Retail Theft laws are written in such a way that makes it very easy for you to be arrested and charged with Shoplifting. Illinois Shoplifting laws favor the police and prosecutors. If you are caught walking out of the store without paying for something, the law will presume that you are guilty of Shoplifting. An honest mistake can lead to an arrest and a charge of Shoplifting. It is common for people who are stopped by store security to try to explain what happened and to make statements to store security and to police officers that may end up being used against them in Court. If you are ever stopped by store security and questioned for Shoplifting, you need to understand that anything you say to that store security officer may be used against you in Court. Store security does not have to inform you of your legal rights like a police officer has to when you are detained, whatever you say to store security will be shared with the police and can be used against you in court. If you are ever stopped and questioned for Shoplifting, you should refuse to answer any questions until you speak to an experienced Shoplifting attorney. You need to understand that your future could be at stake and you should not make any statements to store security or to the police without talking to a Shoplifting attorney, like James Dimeas, first.

Illinois Shoplifting Criminal Penalties

The potential criminal penalties for Shoplifting generally depend depends on the value of the items that you stole or attempted to steal. If the aggregate (total) value of the items was under $300, you will probably be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor Retail Theft. A Class A Misdemeanor Retail Theft in Illinois carries a maximum penalty of up to one-year in County Jail and a fine up to $2,500. If the value of the items was over $300, you may be charged with a Class 4 Felony Retail Theft. A Class 4 Felony Retail Theft in Illinois carries a maximum punishment of one to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000. However, an experienced Shoplifting lawyer, like James Dimeas, will know what to do to make sure that you avoid a Retail Theft conviction and are able to keep the Shoplifting charge off of your criminal record so that a thorough background search will not reveal the Shoplifting arrest and Retail Theft criminal charge. James Dimeas has been handling Shoplifting cases throughout the Chicago Metropolitan Area for over-27 years. James Dimeas has been successful in keeping the criminal records clean for countless clients who have been charged with Shoplifting. James Dimeas knows how to handle Shoplifting cases and knows how to make sure that your criminal record stays clean and that the Shoplifting arrest and criminal charges do not appear on a background search.

The Shoplifting Civil Penalty

If you attempt to Shoplift something from a store in Illinois, that store has the right to sue you for money damages. This is called the Civil Penalty. The store can sue you for the value of the items that you stole, or attempted to steal, plus their expenses, for up to $1,000. If you are charged with Shoplifting, you will probably receive a letter from the stores lawyer demanding payment of the Civil Penalty and threatening you with a lawsuit. This Civil Penalty is separate from the criminal charges. If you pay the Civil Penalty it does not mean that the criminal case will be dismissed or thrown out. However, paying the Civil Penalty is something that can be used to help obtain a successful resolution of the criminal Shoplifting case.

Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting

You may be issued a ticket for a Municipal Ordinance Violation if you are caught Shoplifting. A Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting is not a criminal matter. A Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting is a civil matter. You cannot be sent to jail for a Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting. The worst thing that can happen in a Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting is that you will have to pay a fine. However, depending on whether you were arrested by the police and fingerprinted, the Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting may appear in a routine background search. Some counties put Municipal Ordinance Violations for Shoplifting on the Court Clerk’s website for the public to see. Since every case is different, and every County handles the reporting of Municipal Ordinance Violations differently, you should consult with an experienced Shoplifting attorney to make sure that a Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting does not appear on a background search. James Dimeas has the experience handling Shoplifting cases that allows him to know whether a Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting will appear in a background search. James Dimeas can help make sure that a Municipal Ordinance Violation for Shoplifting does not appear on a background search and will help guide you through the process to make sure that your record stays clean and you pass a background search.

The Ultimate Penalty for Shoplifting. Your Reputation, Your Background, Your Future

The most severe penalty for a Shoplifting arrest and Retail Theft charge could be to your reputation. Today, virtually every employer conducts thorough background searches of any prospective employees during the hiring process. A Shoplifting charge on a background search for a job could be devastating. If a prospective employer were to find a Shoplifting charge on your background search, that employer would probably not even consider hiring you. Your current employer may conduct periodic background searches. If your current employer were to find out that you were charged with Shoplifting, your employer may fire you. Countless people have been denied a job because a routine background search revealed a Shoplifting arrest or Shoplifting charge. Many employees have been fired because their employer found out that they were charged with Shoplifting. It is absolutely critical that a Shoplifting charge does not appear on a background search. James Dimeas understands how critical it is that a Shoplifting charge does not appear on your record. James Dimeas will do everything possible to make sure that the Shoplifting case is dismissed and is kept off of your record. James Dimeas will make sure that you pass a background search and that your Shoplifting case does not follow you around the rest of your life.

Effective and Successful Shoplifting Lawyer

James Dimeas is a nationally-recognized, award-winning, Shoplifting lawyer with over-29 years of experience handling shoplifting cases in Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. Attorney and Practice Magazine gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney Award for Illinois,” and the “Top 10 DUI Defense Attorney” award.The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Attorney Award for the State of Illinois.” Recently, the American Society of Legal Advocates named James Dimeas a “Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer In the State of Illinois For the Year 2018, 2019, and 2020.” Expertise named James Dimeas a “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in Chicago.” James Dimeas was named a “Best DUI Attorney.” The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys recognized James Dimeas as a “10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction.” The National Trial Lawyers named James Dimeas a “Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer.” AVVO rates James Dimeas as “Superb”, 10 out of 10, the highest rating possible for any Shoplifting attorney in the United States.

You can contact Shoplifting attorney, James Dimeas, anytime for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your Shoplifting case. James Dimeas will evaluate your Shoplifting case and give you advice about how to avoid a conviction on your record. James Dimeas is personally available 24 hours a day at 847-807-7405 to discuss your case and to help you avoid having a Shoplifting case appear in a background search.