Woman Arrested on Charges of Retail Theft in Illinois

One woman in Illinois was recently accused of committing theft. Police said she not only stole goods from a department store but also involved a child in the crime. The retail theft allegedly occurred on a Monday and led to the woman’s arrest.

Police reported that the woman was at a Walmart store one day. At about 8 p.m., she was reportedly observed placing household items and clothes into a bag. She allegedly put merchandise worth $400 into the tote bag and then put the bag in a cart.

At that point, the 21-year-old woman is said to have instructed a minor to push the cart out of the store. The woman now faces felony charges of retail theft and contributing to a minor’s delinquency. Reports from police did not indicate the age of the minor or the relationship of the minor to the woman.

Defense counsel for the woman facing retail theft charges may explore whether or not it is possible for her to enter a plea agreement with the prosecution. A plea agreement may result in a lighter sentence for the accused person compared with what may be imposed if she were to be found guilty of the crime at trial. However, the accused individual may also simply decide to proceed directly to trial, where she will force Illinois prosecutors to prove the allegations by presenting evidence that meets the criminal justice system’s exacting requirements. In either case, the criminal defense will strive for an outcome that is in the defendant’s best interests and will make sure that the client’s rights are not violated at any point of the criminal proceeding.

Source: Oak Lawn, IL, Patch, “Woman Told Kid to Push Cart of Stolen Merchandise Out of Walmart: Cops“, Lorraine Swanson, Sept. 8, 2015