<p>Ok, so today I got arrested with petty theft for taking about 50$ worth of merchandise from costco. I'm really scared that I might get my admissions into CAL rescinded, I want to know what i should do. I have already signed up for classes and school would start before my court date. Should I report it to admissions or just see what happens? Should I try and contact the arresting officer and try to bargain with him or something? Ahhhhhhh someone help me :[</p>
<p>What did you steal and why did you steal?</p>
<p>2 dvds, and for no apparent reason. it was stupid, i know…</p>
<p>Talk to the Costco manager, beg for mercy and if you really are sorry and can convince him it’s a life-changing mistake for you then maybe he’ll drop the charges.</p>
<p>You need to really think through why you would do this, it can’t happen again.</p>
<p>Integrity is important.</p>
<p>i’m not allowed in costco for 2 years. sigh</p>
<p>Send a letter then, can’t hurt to try, I know quite a few of the Costco GMs, while they don’t condone theft in the slightest, most have had kids your age and may see fit to give you this one BIG break. In any case, you should write to apologize whatever the outcome. You can find the GM’s name on the Costco website.</p>
<p>“Should I report it to admissions or just see what happens?”</p>
<p>You need to go back to your application, and read the fine print. Did you have to answer questions about whether you have ever been arrested, or ever been convicted of a crime? Look for a statement at the end of the app, where you might have had to sign that you have provided true and accurate information. It might also state that you must contact admissions if any of your information changes. If so, you’d better notify them. If you are CERTAIN that it doesn’t, you might be able to wait and see how things go in court (or out of court, if you’re lucky). </p>
<p>Good luck, and I hope with all my heart that you have truly learned and grown from this unfortunate experience. Your illegal actions do not make you a bad person – the kind of person you are will be determined by how your future actions are affected by this lesson. I truly wish you the very best in getting through this difficult time.</p>
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Whatever else you might try, this is a dumb idea. Cops don’t bargain with criminals. And if the cop doesn’t like you, he might lead you down the road to where you offer something and they’ve got you on bribery; turning a simple misdemeanor into a felony gets him bonus points at work.</p>
<p>Call the store and ask to speak with the manager. See if he will meet with you to discuss the incident. Perhaps he will give you a break.</p>
<p>Is this the first time you’ve stolen DVD’s or is this the first time you’ve been caught? Either way, this is going to be a turning point in your life. You need to decide what path you want to take. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>AL34 - Thanks for ALL of your help with this, hopefully you do know the GM. But if you dont, is it possible to somehow get the contact from other GMs? I’m pretty sure that the Regional Manager doesnt really want to hear or care about my case.</p>
<p>GrizzMom - I checked my terms and conditions, it only says things about my grades and does not mention any criminal activity. So that means that I should be good then? And thank you for your support, its greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>mikemac - Thanks, that is very true and is a good point. But I wouldn’t have bribed him with money or anything, it would have asked him to do like community service or something.</p>
<p>nysmile - I should call the manager, but then I wouldnt be able to meet with him at his workplace because they said once I step foot onto Costco property and am caught I will be arrested and sent straight to jail. This was the first offense of theft on record if that answers your question. But I have promised myself never to get myself in any more of this stuff again.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your help, opinion, insight. I am really appreciative of all of you taking time out of your day to give me advice on my problem.</p>
<p>I really don’t suggest you let the college know because otherwise they probably wouldn’t find out.</p>
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Sure, but if you are to call a cop that arrested you and ask what you can to so that it doesn’t go on your record, you might be thinking community service but he hears it as “bribe”. Criminals don’t call the cops that arrested them, nor witnesses (that is called tampering). And in fact what you are proposing violates the law, probably as a felony; you want the cop to make this go away. How is he supposed to do that? Tell the court it was all a mistake? Go into the computer and erase your arrest record? Not show up to court?</p>
<p>Look, you did a dumb thing on what was probably just an impulse, and I hope you never do anything like it again. You’ve learned your lesson, I’m sure. But it’s going to be a costly lesson. What you need to do now is hire a lawyer, after telling your parents what happened (if you haven’t already). This isn’t the time with your folks to hide or try to minimize what happened (eg. you “forgot” you had it in a bag, you meant to pay for it but walked out the door holding it when your cell phone rang, etc). Just be straight up and admit to it. </p>
<p>I assume that you’re over 18 so this is in adult court, not juvie. A lawyer can help get the charge reduced to an infraction, or even better handled by diversion out of the criminal system. But you can’t just show up in front of the judge on your own and get this. The legal system will crush you if you show up on your own (even if you say the exact words a lawyer would have said), so you need to have your own player in the game (eg. lawyer). Your $50 in DVD’s is going to cost you hundreds of dollars at the least, probably more than that. But it’s what you really need to do, unless you want a criminal record following you around which may affect your ability to be licensed before the State Bar if you someday want to become a lawyer, will have to be disclosed when you apply to grad school, will show up on background checks for future employment, etc.</p>
<p>This is a serious matter and can really hurt your future if you don’t handle it right.</p>
<p>So you didn’t really answer the question about whether this is the first time you have shoplifted or just the first time you have been caught. You skated it. This kind of activity is a lack of ability to control impulse. You need to think about what you need to do in order to get it under control. Promising yourself probably won’t do it.</p>
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Uh oh condescending Moral Judges of the Internet on patrol everybody watch out. Who the hell cares whether it’s his first time? What YOU need to do is stop telling people over the internet to reexamine their lives.</p>
<p>OP - find a lawyer. Immediately. They will get the charge reduced a lot, and also could provide you with the best advice possible on what to do with your college, sending a letter to the GM and etc.</p>
<p>umm… yes it is the fine print. they do ask whether you have ever been convicted or arrested for a crime</p>
<p>I would talk to the store manager. Volunteer to work for them or something UNPAID as a sorry and ask them NOT to press charges. Like if you explain your mistake and promise to help them by doing community service they may be leniant</p>
<p>And yes, you need to tell the school. better now than 3 months in when they kick you out. it has happenned</p>
<p>Good advice. Call the manager and see if he is willing to meet with you to discuss the matter. The meeting could take place off-site—perhaps at a coffee shop. Apologize, explain the situation about college, offer to pay for the cost of the DVD’s, and promise to abide by the 2 year ban from the store. After pleading your case, maybe he will decide to drop the charges.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, what DVDs were they? They must have been pretty compelling…</p>