Shoplifting Charges at Ocean County Mall
Toms River is not only the second most populated town and county seat but is also home to Ocean County’s only enclosed mall, which just so happens to be called Ocean County Mall. The Ocean County Mall is considered a “super” regional mall and is pretty much the only game in town since the next closest mall is Monmouth Mall in Eatontown. However, it is one of the smaller regional malls in New Jersey sitting well under a 1 million square feet at approximately 890,000 square feet of retail space. Ocean County Mall is strategically located on Hooper Ave not far from Exit 82 on the Garden State Parkway which also makes it a popular destination for tourists going to and from the shore during the summer season. These factors contribute to why Ocean County Mall normally generates several dozen shoplifting arrests each year. These defendants will be ordered to appear in Toms River Municipal Court or Ocean County Superior Court also located in Toms River right down the road on Hooper Ave. The exact court you will be required to appear in will actually depend on just how much money the stolen merchandise was worth. For instance anything under $200 is considered a disorderly persons offense shoplifting and will be sent to the municipal court while shoplifting charges over $200 are considered indictable crimes (felonies) and will be sent to the Ocean County Superior Court to be reviewed. To learn more about how your case will play out and your different options, contact our office today at (732) 856-9959 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey shoplifting attorney.
Ocean County Mall Shoplifting Lawyer
When Ocean County Mall was originally built in the mid 1970’s, the Toms River area was still very rural compared to today’s standards. As the area’s population has steadily grown, so has the Ocean County Mall, which has undergone several expansions and a complete renovation to compete with newer strip malls in the area. Today, the mall houses four big department stores including Macy’s, JCPenney, Boscov’s, and Sears which are all well over 100,000 square feet. These stores, in particular, traditionally catch the most shoplifters at Ocean County Mall each year. In our experience, this is probably due to the fact that these stores not only provide the most opportunity to be alone while shopping but they also employ full-time loss prevention officers whose only job is to stop attempted shopliftings. They will typically scour the aisles for hours at a time behind the convenience of a discreet surveillance video so you may never even know you’re being watched. If you have been arrested for shoplifting at Ocean County Mall in Toms River then the attorneys at Proetta & Oliver can help. We have successfully defended hundreds of clients against shoplifting charges and related crimes such as robbery, receiving stolen property and fencing. If you would like to learn more about how we can possibly help you or your loved one, feel free to give us a call today at (732) 856-9959 for a free consultation with one of our lawyers who can answer your questions and address your concerns.