Shoplifting is often thought of as a harmless crime, but the truth is that shop owners suffer huge losses due to shoplifting every year. Stores lose thousands of dollars annually due to individuals shoplifting everything from bubblegum to designer blue jeans.
Taking merchandise from a store without paying for it, switching price tags or hiding merchandise on your person are all considered “larceny of merchandise from a retailer” in Oklahoma.
Penalties for shoplifting
The penalties for shoplifting up to $500 of merchandise are as follows:
- First offense: a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail
- Second offense: a fine of up to $1,000 and between 30 to 365 days in jail.
- Third offense: a jail sentence of two to five years.
The penalties for shoplifting merchandise worth more than $500 are as follows:
- $500 to $999 worth of stolen merchandise carries a sentence of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000
- $1,000 or more in stolen merchandise carries a sentence of one to five years in jail
In addition to the above penalties, Oklahoma also allows for civil penalties against shoplifters. For example, if a child who is under 18 years of age steals from a store the owners can sue the parents for the cost of the retail damages.
The law also allows for punitive damages and can assign community service to the offender.
What if you’ve been arrested for shoplifting?
If you have been arrested for shoplifting, it’s important that you reach out to someone who can assist you in understanding the charges as well as fight them. The penalties for shoplifting in Oklahoma are very serious, so you should not try to handle the situation alone.