Bridgewater Commons Mall Shoplifting

If you or a loved one have been arrested and accused of shoplifting at the Bridgewater Commons Mall in Bridgewater, New Jersey, the lawyers at Lubiner, Schmidt & Palumbo can help you avoid the list of “horribles” that may be running through your head. Shoplifting is treated as a serious criminal offense in New Jersey. The Mall shop owners and the Bridgewater police will vigorously prosecute shoplifting cases. But the Bridgewater Commons Mall attorneys at Lubiner, Schmidt & Palumbo will stand by you. The Bridgewater shoplifting team at the firm has represented clients in municipal and state courts in criminal cases all over New Jersey. We know and work well with prosecutors and judges throughout the state. We will fight to clear your name and protect your rights in the Bridgewater municipal court.

The Bridgewater Commons Mall is a large and popular mall in Somerset County. It is anchored by Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Lord & Taylor. It also has several national chain stores, high end boutiques, restaurants and a movie theater.

The New Jersey criminal law statutes (NJSA 2C: 20-11) describe six separate activities that constitute shoplifting. They are removing products from a store with the intent to deprive the store owner of the merchandise’s value, hiding merchandise while in the store, changing price tags to mask the actual value of the product, placing the item in a different container, under ringing the item and, lastly, removing a cart from the store property with the intent of stealing it.

The penalties for shoplifting can result in fines and substantial jail time. The type of penalty relates to the dollar value of the goods purportedly stolen, as detailed below:

• If the value of items stolen is below $200, it is considered a disorderly person offense with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail;
• if the value is between $200 and $500, it is fourth-degree crime (a felony) with up to 18 months jail time and up to a $10,000 fine;
• if the value between is$500 and $75,000 it is a third-degree crime with up to five years jail time and a $15,000 fine;
• lastly, if the value is over $75,000 it is a second-degree crime with up to 10 years jail time and a fine up to $150,000.

Also, a person convicted of shoplifting must perform community service. For the first offense, 10 days of service is mandated. For the second offense, 15 days and 25 days for a third.

Notwithstanding the above, remember, the Bridgewater prosecutor will be required to prove all charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The shoplifting attorneys at Lubiner, Schmidt & Palumbo will hold the prosecutor to that high legal standard. We will obtain all police reports, witness statements and store surveillance videos, if any. We will separately interview any witnesses to the supposed shoplifting once they identified by the prosecutor.

In short, the Bridgewater Mall shoplifting lawyers at the firm will prepare a comprehensive defense to all charges.

While the experienced attorneys at Lubiner, Schmidt & Palumbo prepare every case as if it was going to trial, we also recognize that most criminal cases are resolved by plea bargaining. Successful plea bargains can save the defendant legal expenses and repeated court appearances. It also removes the doubt that all the parties to a case experience as to what the outcome of the trial will be. In the appropriate case we will enter into plea negotiations with the Bridgewater prosecutor. We will agree to a plea deal, however, only if the client is in complete agreement.

If you or a loved one have been accused of shoplifting in Bridgewater, feel free to contact us for a consultation.