Media, PA Shoplifting Lawyer Explains Retail Theft Penalties in Pennsylvania

(0:00) Hi, I’m Enrique Latoison. This video is brought to you by Commentary Creations. I’m your three-minute lawyer. Today’s Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. But tomorrow’s Black Friday. And what takes place around this time of year,
(0:10) the biggest shopping day of the year? Retail theft. And this video’s actually been requested by Frederick the store owner who’s asking me to do this video on retail theft.
(0:20) Retail theft most people think is a victim-less crime. It’s actually a billion-dollar issue in the criminal justice system. People will steal billions of dollars a year in actual retail theft.
(0:30) And when you put on the TV and you see all the videos, you see people, mass amounts of people running in stores and stealing things and doing all these things, it starts to make you think,
(0:40) maybe there’s not even a penalty for retail theft. But actually, here in Pennsylvania, we’re going to talk about that. What do we have here? We have our first guest, Slothy, compliments of Ethan.
(0:50) All right. If Slothy goes into a store and steals a candy bar, less than $150, Slothy’s actually not that good, because he’s a sloth, and he gets caught stealing.
(0:60) He can get charged with a summary offense in Pennsylvania, which is sort of a citation, $300 fine plus court costs, and up to three months in jail. Now, Slothy goes back to the same store
(1:10) and steals the same candy bar a second time. Now Slothy’s looking at misdemeanor second degree, punishible up to two years in jail. Now,
(1:20) Slothy has not learned his lesson. Slothy’s not very good at stealing. Slothy decides to go back to the same store and steals the same candy bar a third time. Now Slothy’s looking at
(1:30) a felony in the third degree. What happens in Pennsylvania is retail thefts stack, kind of like DUIs. The more you get, the more in trouble you get.
(1:40) And so you could be looking at a punishment of up to seven years in jail for stealing a candy bar. If you don’t learn your lesson from doing it once and you continue to do it,
(1:50) you could have very severe penalties. And we also have something in retail theft based on the amount. You have a nice, hot black dress and you must have it,
(2:00) and you steal that black dress, which is worth over $150 here, you’re automatically, even if your first time, charged with a misdemeanor in the first degree.
(2:10) And then if you steal the same black dress the next time, you’re charged with a misdemeanor in the first degree again. But if you do it a third time, now it’s a felony in the third degree.
(2:20) Now, when people get these retail thefts on their record, it can really cause them problems in being able to get jobs, because most employers don’t want to
(2:30) hire people that are stealing things or look like they’re stealing things. All right? What happens is, there are programs and different things that can take place to help that person
(2:40) that maybe did it once or made a mistake or stole one black dress on accident or it was a misunderstanding. There are different programs and things that can take place that get people a second chance.
(2:50) But when you have crimes that stack in Pennsylvania, like retail theft and like DUI and other types of charges, as they stack, those programs go away
(3:00) and those opportunities go away. What is the moral of the story here? The moral of the story is that retail theft, where it may seem like a victimless crime, is a situation that could cause
(3:10) lifetime problems. Enrique Latoison, your three-minute lawyer. Thank you.
(3:20) You wanted me to put this thing on my head? Hell no. I’m not putting this damn thing on my head.
(3:30) All right. We’re good.