Petty theft or shoplifting is America’s most common crime. More than 10 million people have been caught shoplifting in America in the past five years (preventshoplifting.org). This week, Southern California couple, Mathew Eaton and Laura Eaton, were sentenced to federal prison after appearing on Dr. Phil and admitting to making over $100,000 selling shoplifted toys on eBay. The Eaton’s should have consulted with a criminal defense attorney instead of seeking help on national television. They would have never imagined that Dr. Phil would lead to federal criminal charges and the need of a federal criminal lawyer, but it did.
While the Eaton’s were large-scale thieves, petty theft often occurs on a much smaller scale. An experienced petty theft attorney can often reduce a first offense to an infraction, therefore avoiding a criminal record, or fight for alternative sentencing such as rehabilitation classes instead of jail time.
Our criminal defense lawyers believe that petty theft is a matter of impulse control. For example, Mr. Eaton explained that he started shoplifting due to tough financial times and a need to make a little extra money but then continued to shoplift more and more. Experts believe that shoplifting is a psychological problem often associated with depression or low self esteem. What is more debated is what percentage of shoplifters suffer from kleptomania, a mental disorder characterized by being unable to resist stealing objects that are not for personal use or monetary gain (preventshoplifting.org). Most studies agree that only a small percentage of shoplifters are kleptomaniacs. While Doctor Phil proclaimed that the Eaton’s criminal actions were not a result of kleptomania and accused Mr. Eaton of nothing less than laziness and a lack of desire to find lawful employment, it is clear that petty theft occurs for many different reasons. The most important moral of this story is that petty theft is a crime, and should be discussed with a criminal attorney before the media.
