Shoplifting Arrests in Middletown, New Jersey
Middletown is the most populated town in Monmouth County and, not surprisingly, it also holds the title for having the largest police force in the county. However, when it comes to shopping, Middletown is lacking a large enclosed mall or major shopping center like some of its neighbors like Eatontown with Monmouth Mall and Freehold with Raceway Mall. However, even with the lack of a major mall, Middletown still manages to generate several dozen shoplifting cases on a yearly basis on average. Most of the major stores in Middletown, New Jersey are located along Route 35 and 36 and this where the local residents routinely go to shop. The stores that generate the most shoplifting arrests in Middletown are Sears, Target, ShopRite, T.J. Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Kohl’s, Super Stop & Shop, Big Lots, Whole Foods, ACME, and Super Foodtown. These stores in particular seem to generate the most arrests because most of them have full-time or part-time staff that is dedicated to stopping shoplifters from making away with store merchandise. We refer to these security guards as loss prevention officers and if you were stopped by one, there is a good chance he or she may come to court to testify against you. There are also several other small convenience stores sprinkled throughout Middletown including a 7-Eleven, QuickChek, Wawa, Walgreens, and CVS. These stores are also worth mentioning because they will occasionally generate a shoplifting arrest even though they don’t typically employ full-time security.
Lawyers that Defend Shoplifting Charges in Middletown
Our attorneys know Middletown well and have defended countless cases in the Middletown Municipal Court and Monmouth County Superior Courthouse for felony cases arising out of the township. In fact – one of the law firm’s founders, William A. Proetta grew up in Middletown and still lives there with his family. Given the significance of the township and its central location, we also chose to set up our main office in Middletown right across from the police department and municipal courthouse. Chances are if you were arrested in Middletown for shoplifting you will have to appear in the Middletown Municipal Court and it would probably be in your interest to take a few minutes to walk across the street and speak with one of our New Jersey shoplifting lawyers if we aren’t already at the courthouse. For many people, this is their first offense and they make the mistake of assuming they should just plead guilty to charges if they did actually committed the charges that the police and store have alleged. However, this is simply not the case, because it is always best to plead not guilty, and with the help of an experienced lawyer, and put the prosecutor to his burden of actually trying to prove the charges against you, which is normally much easier said than done. To learn more about the process that would be involved and the different possible ways we may be able to help you or your loved one, give us a call today at (732) 856-9959 for a free consultation with an experienced Middletown shoplifting lawyer.