Shoplifting: This is what you have to reckon with in an advertisement

Shoplifting is almost always reported. In our practical tip, we will explain the consequences of the deed.

This happens after a shoplifting complaint

Shoplifting is not a legal concept in itself. We use it in everyday life to describe the theft in supermarkets, drug stores and similar shops. The theft is a criminal offense, which is regulated in Section 242 of the Criminal Code.

• Paragraph 1 of Section 242 of the Criminal Code reads: Anyone who takes away another moveable object from another with the intention of illegally assigning it to himself or to a third party is punished with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine .
• This means that the perpetrator must face either a fine or even a custodial sentence if the theft is reported.
• In the case of theft, it is enough to be caught trying. If the perpetrator sticks something from the shelf into his pocket and is caught, theft is also reported.
• If the theft is communal, for example of two or three perpetrators, the others are also reported as complicit.
• In most cases, the judge, especially for first offenders, only imposes a fine. Anyone who becomes conspicuous as a repeat offender must face prison.
• An inescapable prison sentence also follows the fact of the particularly serious theft, as regulated in § 243 StGB. If the perpetrator breaks into the shop to steal something or commits the offense commercially, this is the case.

What to do in an advertisement

Many caught perpetrators talk to the police as soon as they arrive in the act. Out of panic and ignorance, many of those affected talk into the mess more than is necessary.

• It is therefore a good idea to hire a lawyer and only make statements about the crime after consulting with the lawyer.
• However, the offender is also free to do without a lawyer. In this case, careless statements should be avoided.