In Dallas and the surrounding areas, you can be charged with theft even if you never leave the store. There is no requirement that an item be removed from the store to be considered theft.
The law only requires intent to take the item. Many people come to me and bring this point up believing that they should not be charged with shoplifting because they were still in the store.
There are even cases where a person takes an item and feels bad about it and before they leave the store, they put the item back. Under the law this is considered theft because at the time the item was concealed is what the law looks at.
If you need help defending your theft case in the Dallas area, call me at 214-296-2770.
