Shoplifting Lawyers for Menlo Park Mall
Menlo Park consistently produces some of the highest shoplifting arrests every year in New Jersey. This is partially due to the fact that the stores within Menlo Park employ dozens of highly trained loss prevention officers who are specially trained to spot and stop alleged acts of shoplifting that they see in progress. Moreover, Menlo Park Mall is located within Edison Township, New Jersey which is listed as the 5th largest municipality in the state with just less than 100,000 residents based on the last census. These factors equate to hundreds of shoplifting arrests in Menlo Park Mall throughout the year. It is our experience that a large portion of these defendants either have no criminal records and or are not U.S. citizens and both groups cannot afford to wind up with a shoplifting conviction on their records. However, this can often be easier said then done since plea bargaining is limited for defendants facing shoplifting charges. Therefore, an experienced New Jersey shoplifting attorney can offer valuable insights and resources when it comes to defending a shoplifting charge. In fact, it is not uncommon for the attorneys at Proetta & Oliver to secure dismissals for our shoplifting clients. If you are interested in learning more about how we may be able to help you, contact us today at (732) 856-9959 for a free consultation with an experienced shoplifting lawyer.
Why Are There So Many Shoplifting Arrests At Menlo Park Mall?
Since originally opening its doors in the late 1950’s the Menlo Park Mall has continually grown and expanded as the surrounding town of Edison has also seen tremendous population growth. In fact, many people do not realize that Menlo Park actually started as a shopping center and then was later fully enclosed to create the existing structure. Moreover, as the customer base has expanded and grown, the mall underwent several renovations and updates. Today, Menlo Park Mall has several “anchor stores” which occupy the biggest spaces of the approximate 1 million square feet of retail space within the mall. These anchor stores include Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Barnes & Noble among others. Because of their sheer size and amount of merchandise, these anchor stores see a considerable amount of shoplifting each year. However there are several other high volume stores for shoplifting in Menlo Park which include Sephora, Best Buy, and Apple because they sell small merchandise and is often expensive. For a complete directory list of Menlo Park Mall you can feel free to visit their website.
What To Know If Caught Shoplifting At Menlo Park Mall
If you are caught shoplifting at Menlo Park Mall you will most likely be detained by store security until the Edison police come to conduct an investigation. If there is an independent evidence to support the probable cause to issue a criminal summons, then the police officer will normally sign the complaint. In some situations where the evidence is strictly based on the loss prevention officer’s observations, they may sign the complaint themselves even though they are not a police officer. When it comes time to go to court, the loss prevention officer will normally be subpoenaed to show up and provide testimony or other evidence against you to prove the allegations – this can also include surveillance video from the store. This is because each store is responsible with following up and prosecuting any alleged shoplifters they catch, instead of the company that owns the mall. Moreover, if you are convicted of shoplifting, then you will most likely be barred from going back into that store again or you could be charged with trespassing.
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