Woman Facing Felony Charges, Accused Of Taking Item Worth $1.47

The Pittsburgh Channel ^ | January 7, 2011

[rightwingintelligentsia]

INDIANA, Pa. -- State police in Indiana County said a woman is facing felony theft charges after stealing a spool of ribbon from Walmart.

According to police reports, Catherine Fee, of Homer City, was charged after taking the ribbon from the Walmart in Blairsville in Burrell Township.

Police said the ribbon is worth $1.47.

[dfwgator]

She was charged probably because this was not her first time.

[Mobties]

Gotta draw that line somewhere.

[circlecity]

Lots of jurisdictions chage shoplifting as a felony theft. Usually a low level felony.

[palmer]

Well no wonder...

[Responsibility2nd]

I nominate this thread as having the most incomplete information ever.

(Or at least this year)

[240B]

I once stole this thing that one time, and then a moose bit my sister

really
she cried and everything

[Crimson Elephant]

I could have sworn I read somewhere recently that Wal Mart and Home Depot were actively NOT prosecuting shoplifting as to avoid legal fights/fees and one store (I forget which) fired an employee for trying to stop a shoplifter.

So...hmm.

[E.Allen]

PA Crimes Code makes third or subsequent retail theft offense a felony regardless of value.

[goseminoles]

In Florida, a third or subsequent petit theft is a felony. Felony theft vs Grand theft(item over $300).

[Mr. K]

To avoid the more extreme cases of “Three Strikes” I would like to see a “sentence multiplier” law instead.

If you are convicted of a crime your sentence is multiplied by the number of times you have been convicted.

So a one year sentence for petty theft would become 3 years your third time... then four years...

This would also prevent the ‘kill the witnesses’ mentality if you some one catches you stealing something small and it’s your third strike.

[goseminoles]

I believe in increasing punishment but it should fit the crime. Yes, she broke the law but a felony for a $2.00 item??