Shoplifting Defense Lawyer in Haddonfield
New Jersey treats shoplifting as a serious offense, even when the dollar amount involved appears to be small. A conviction can affect your employment, professional licensing, immigration status, and future opportunities. However, a shoplifting charge is not the end of your story.
Contact The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen promptly if you’ve been arrested for shoplifting. Our shoplifting defense attorneys in Haddonfield, NJ, will listen to your case to understand what happened, secure evidence, and build a defense that reflects the full truth, not the quick assumptions that unfortunately shape these cases.
How Does Haddonfield, NJ, Define Shoplifting Charges?
The shoplifting law in New Jersey covers far more than taking merchandise. It includes concealing items, altering price tags, under-ringing at self-checkout, removing security devices, or helping someone else do the same. Many arrests stem from misunderstandings at busy stores or mistaken interpretations of intent, which is common in retail-theft incidents nationwide.
Penalties depend on the value of the merchandise:
- Under $200: Disorderly persons offense, up to six months in jail
- $200–$500: Fourth-degree crime, up to 18 months in prison
- $500–$75,000: Third-degree crime, three to five years in prison
- Over $75,000: Second-degree crime, five to 10 years
You may likewise be fined between $1,000 and $150,000, depending on the charges against you. New Jersey also requires mandatory community service and may impose suspensions for retail employees, which is often overlooked until sentencing. Understanding the grading is crucial because it determines eligibility for diversion programs and potential for dismissal.
Where Do Shoplifting Arrests in Haddonfield, NJ, Happen?
At The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen, we see many of these cases originate in busy retail corridors, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and big box stores along Route 70, shops near Haddonfield Road, and even smaller boutiques in downtown Haddonfield. Loss-prevention staff sometimes act quickly, relying on split-second observations or partially viewed camera angles.
Police officers usually enter the situation after a confrontation has already happened, meaning the facts in the initial report rarely tell the entire story. Items may have been left in a cart, placed in a personal bag temporarily, or scanned incorrectly at self-checkout. In some cases, merchandise is misidentified, or employees incorrectly interpret a customer’s movements as concealment.
Why Early Legal Intervention Matters in Haddonfield, NJ, Shoplifting Cases
Prosecutors move quickly with retail theft cases, usually relying heavily on the store’s version of events. If our shoplifting defense lawyers in Haddonfield, NJ, intervene early, they can secure video before it’s overwritten, track down witnesses who saw something different, and negotiate options, such as conditional dismissal, diversion, or complete withdrawal of the charge.
Certain clients, especially those with professional licenses or immigration concerns, will require a defense tailored to long-term consequences because one wrong plea can have ripple effects far beyond the courtroom.
How Our Shoplifting Defense Attorneys in Haddonfield, NJ, Can Defend The Charges Against You
At The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen, our shoplifting defense attorneys in Haddonfield, NJ, will examine:
- the store’s surveillance footage frame by frame,
- the actions of loss-prevention staff,
- whether concealment actually occurred,
- whether scanning errors or technical problems played a role,
- the accuracy of eyewitness accounts,
- and whether the value of the merchandise was calculated correctly.
Likewise, they’ll assess how the situation escalated because many clients are detained without being allowed to explain themselves. Some were confused, anxious, or unsure why they were being questioned, and the interaction spiraled from there. A strong defense comes from revisiting those early moments with clarity rather than emotion.
Talk to Our Shoplifting Defense Attorneys in Haddonfield, NJ
To get started on building your defense, get in touch with The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen online or by phone to arrange your complimentary consultation with our Haddonfield, NJ, shoplifting defense lawyers.
