Shoplifting Penalties in New Jersey

Posted by thomaskrail on July 18, 2016 in Criminal Law | 0 comment

The penalties for shoplifting vary from state, and in New Jersey, if you walk out of a store without paying for an item of merchandise, you may face community service, fines or even jail time. Because the state of New Jersey considers shoplifting to be a crime of moral turpitude, a convicted shoplifter who is not a U.S. citizen may even be deported.

Grading of Shoplifting Penalties in New Jersey

The penalties for shoplifting laws in New Jersey are graded according to the retail value of the stolen merchandise, as per the following:

Over $75,000 – This is a second degree offense and carries a penalty of a custodial sentence between 5 and 10 years and a fine of up to $150,000.
$500 to $75,000 – Third degree, 3 to 5 years’ custodial sentence, fine up to $15,000.
$200 to $500 – Fourth degree, up to 18 months in prison, fine up to $10,000.
Below $200, first offense, Disorderly Persons Offense, up to 6 months’ custodial sentence, fine up to $1,000.

Additional mandatory penalties include 10, 15 or 20 days’ community service for first, second and third offenses, respectively. Anyone convicted of a third or subsequent offense faces a minimum prison term of 90 days.

Civil Penalties for Shoplifting in New Jersey

What makes New Jersey unique is that convicted shoplifters may also be required to compensate the store owners for court costs and legal fees in addition to the basic fine of usually $150.

What to Do if Stopped for Shoplifting

People are sometimes stopped for shoplifting for perfectly innocent reasons. You may genuinely forget that you have picked up an item of merchandise.

If you are looking for New Jersey Shoplifting Attorney, contact Thomas & Krail LLC by calling (732) 333-0477 today.

Shoplifting Penalties in New Jersey