Target Shoplifting Lawyer in New Jersey
Target is the second largest discount store retailer in the United States, behind Walmart so its no surprise that they have several dozen locations throughout New Jersey. These stores typically act as anchor stores in the strip malls or even operate as stand alone locations because of their size and shopping volumes. Like most large retailers, Target employs a large network of loss prevention officers and sophisticated surveillance systems throughout their stores. These security measures serve the dual purpose of both liability protection in situations where shoppers are injured inside or outside the stores and also as a crime prevention technique to stop would-be shoplifters and other criminal activity such as drug use and robberies. However, for purposes of this article we will focus on shoplifting and attempted shoplifting crimes. These security guards are given wide discretion by Target when assessing a potential shoplifting crime. This means that if you are stopped at a Target store in New Jersey for suspicion of shoplifting the loss prevention officers will normally escort you into the back of the store, typically into the security area, where you will be detained while they search your bags, purse, and check your receipts to assess whether a shoplifting has taken place. Depending on what they find and the amount of alleged merchandise taken they can choose to release you with a warning, an order for no future trespassing, a civil penalty, or can call the police to arrest you for the crime of shoplifting under 2C:20-11b. Depending on the total monetary amount of the merchandise taken, you can be charged with either a disorderly persons offense or indictable crime.
Target Stores in New Jersey
According to the latest statistics, Target operates 1,834 stores throughout the United States including several dozen in New Jersey . These locations include Middletown, Manalapan, Ocean Township, and Howell in Monmouth County; Edison, Milltown, North Brunswick, and South Plainfield in Middlesex County; Clark, Linden, and Union Township in Union County; Toms River, Brick, and Manahawkin in Ocean County; Jersey City and North Bergen in Hudson County; Watchung and Bridgewater in Somerset County; West Windsor and East Windsor in Mercer County; Edgewater, Hackensack and Paramus in Bergen County; Riverdale, Rockaway, and East Hanover in Morris County, and Clifton in Passaic County. Our lawyers frequently appear in the above Municipal Courts for disorderly persons offenses and County Superior Courthouses for indictable crimes to defend clients against shoplifting crimes and other offenses. The deciding factor of whether you will have to appear in municipal court or superior court will normally hinge on the price of the merchandise that was taken or attempted to be taken without payment. For instance, disorderly persons offense for shoplifting involves any amount of merchandise under $200.00 while an indictable crime, also known as felony, will involve $200 or more worth of merchandise. For more information please visit our page on New Jersey shoplifting penalties to see their gradation, fines, and possible incarceration.
Attorney for Target Shoplifting
As stated briefly above, Target Corporation competes directly against other discount retailers, mainly Kmart and Walmart. However, takes differentiates itself from its competitors by offering what it believes is more upscale, trend-forward merchandise at lower costs, rather than the traditional concept of focusing on low-priced goods. This is why the company has found success as a cheap-chic player in the industry and even why some people jokingly give Target the pseudo-French pronunciation “Targét” as though it were an upscale boutique. In more recent years, Target has put more focus on e-commerce and internet branding through Target.com in order to compete with other powerhouse online shopping companies like Amazon.com. However, make no mistake, Target’s physical stores keep popping up and do not show any signs of slowing down here in New Jersey. This means hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of shoppers will continue to pass through the doors of New Jersey Targets on an annual basis, prompting an aggressive presence by Target security on the look out for shoplifters. If you or your loved one has been arrested for shoplifting at a Target store in New Jersey, contact our office today for a free consultation where our attorneys can address your concerns and answer your questions.