[blueash]

Originally Posted by Girlcopper

Thats because you dont know how law enforcement works and shouldnt be critisizing an officers actions. Its a misdemeanor if the value is under $500. therefore they are given a notice to appear in court. Its like being arrested, taken to jail and being released without posting bail. So, instead of an officer wasting their time on trivial garbage, they give them the “notice to appear” at the scene. And not driving to the jail, waiting their turn to drop the arrestee, doing all the paperwork n then having to drive back to their work area. Im sure if she did arrest the person, people would be complaining that the cops arent doing important things. Damned if you do, damned if you dont

Thanks for your expert input on how a shoplifting charge is to be handled. That explains why according to https://www.**************.com/2021/...iskey-glasses/ a woman was

went through the self-checkout lane and paid 24 cents for a Lego set valued at $29.97. She also paid 24 cents for a set of whiskey glasses priced at $7.84...also found to be in possession of clothing taken from Walmart...She was arrested on a charge of theft and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center. She was released after posting $500 bond.

or this story

walked out of the store and was in possession of a pair of JLAPS earbuds for which he had not paid, the report said. The earbuds were valued at $24.99. They had been tucked inside [his] pocket.

He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of theft and booked at the Lake County Jail on $500 bond.

or this one

The merchandise had a before tax value of $69.79.

.. was arrested on a charge of larceny and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center. He was released after posting $500 bond.

or

A shoplifting suspect at Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages offered to pay for merchandise when he was on his way to jail.

[he] went to the self-checkout on Sunday afternoon and scanned some merchandise, but not a 14-piece cookware set and universal mount bundle,

or

selected several T-shirts and proceeded to the crafts department where she selected several transfer patches. She placed the merchandise in bags and left the store without paying for it, the report said.

[she] was arrested on a charge of theft. She was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $500 bond.

All these reports and many more can be found on the forbidden website by typing the word shoplift into the search box on that site.

Maybe there were other special circumstances in those stories not reported but the low bond strongly suggests there were not as cases where drugs were also found or it was a probation violation etc. all have higher bonds. It does appear that there is discretion by the cops as to book them at HQ or give them a notice to appear.