Shoplifting
California Jul 25, 2026
I'm a 16 year old in California and I stole a $12.99 bracelet from the mall today. One of the workers or whatever follows us (me and my friend) out of the store and says, "I saw you put that bracelet in your pocket." And then she calls security on us and they get all of our info and blah blah blah. My friend just gets a 2 year ban from the mall, but I got a 2 year ban and also they're gonna send me a citation in the mail. The cop says I have to attend a court date or something like that. What are the expected consequences of me shoplifting this little bracelet? I'm expecting like community service or something but also I'm not an expert on this stuff. What is most likely to happen? Also this is my first shoplifting charge and it was like $13 bucks so I feel like it's not that big of a deal but idk. Location: California
