The New York Police Department reported that a 74-year-old store clerk was injured after shoplifting teenagers allegedly injured her during a game of keep-away. The incident reportedly occurred on April 10 at a Sam’s Store located in the 400 block of East Tremont Avenue near Washington Avenue.
Authorities said that one of the teens took an item off the shelf. He then pretended to toss the item over the clerk’s head to his friends. The teenagers then left the store, pushing the female clerk to the sidewalk when she attempted to pursue them.
As a result of the incident, the clerk was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital where she was diagnosed with a concussion. She was said to be in stable condition. The teenagers were thought to be between the ages of 14 and 16. As of May 16, none of the teenagers have been taken into custody and it was not known if authorities knew their identities.
If a person is charged with shoplifting or petit larceny, the accusations and the potential conviction can have far-reaching consequences. In some cases, a conviction could prevent people from being able to qualify for student loans and obtain employment. Additionally, they could also have a costly civil lawsuit filed against them. However, there are several different types of defenses a criminal law attorney may use to protect them against the charges. For example, it could be argued that they were given permission to take possession of the item. Another defense strategy that could be utilized includes arguing that the defendants believed that the stolen property belonged to them.
Source: DNA Info, “Shoplifting Teens Play Keep-Away With 74-Year-Old Clerk, NYPD Video Shows“, Aidan Gardiner, May 17, 2017