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McGuire Law

Columbia Shoplifting Defense Lawyer

A shoplifting arrest at Columbiana Centre, Harbison Boulevard retailers, or any Columbia store creates a criminal record that follows you for life—affecting employment applications, professional licensing, college admissions, and military service eligibility even for first-time offenders accused of taking items worth less than twenty dollars.

Charged with Shoplifting? Your Future Is at Stake - Call Now
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Available 24/7 - Immediate Response for Shoplifting Charges

Attorney Matt McGuire

What begins as a loss prevention officer stopping you at Target, Walmart, Belk, or any retail location throughout Richland and Lexington Counties becomes criminal prosecution in Columbia Municipal Court or magistrate courts where convictions carry jail time, fines, civil demand letters, and permanent theft records visible to every future employer. South Carolina's shoplifting statute allows prosecution whether you concealed merchandise, altered price tags, switched containers, or simply walked past registers without paying, and retailers throughout Columbia employ sophisticated surveillance systems, plain-clothes security, facial recognition technology, and organized retail crime databases to identify and prosecute alleged shoplifters aggressively.

Matt McGuire has defended shoplifting charges in Columbia, South Carolina for over three decades, understanding that these cases often involve misunderstandings, false accusations by overzealous loss prevention, medical conditions causing confusion, or teenagers making impulsive mistakes that shouldn't destroy their futures. Call (888) 499-5738 now for 24/7/365 representation.

The Legal Expertise of McGuire Law

Defending shoplifting charges requires understanding South Carolina's theft statutes, local court procedures, and the strategies that protect your record and future opportunities.

Misdemeanor Shoplifting Defense

Over 30 years defending shoplifting under $2,000 in Columbia Municipal Court and magistrate courts throughout Richland and Lexington Counties.

Felony Theft Defense

Representing clients charged with shoplifting $2,000 to $10,000 or more where felony convictions carry years in prison and permanent felony records.

PTI Program Navigation

Securing Pretrial Intervention eligibility for first-time offenders, resulting in complete dismissal and immediate expungement upon successful completion.

Civil Demand Defense

Protecting clients from retailer civil recovery demands seeking triple damages while ensuring responses don't create admissions used in criminal prosecution.

Expungement Services

Guiding clients through expungement procedures after case resolution, protecting future employment and educational opportunities from theft records.

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Specific Charges & South Carolina Legal Definitions

South Carolina shoplifting laws carry escalating penalties based on value and prior convictions—understanding your specific charges is critical to building an effective defense.

Shoplifting Under $2,000

Misdemeanor under S.C. Code § 16-13-110 carrying up to 30 days jail for first offense, one year for second offense, and mandatory minimums for third or subsequent convictions.

Shoplifting $2,000 to $10,000

Felony carrying up to five years imprisonment in South Carolina Department of Corrections with permanent felony record destroying career opportunities.

Shoplifting Over $10,000

Felony punishable by up to 10 years prison, though rarely applies to typical retail theft cases outside organized retail crime operations.

Concealment as Shoplifting

Hiding merchandise in purses, bags, clothing, or shopping carts creates prima facie evidence of intent to steal under South Carolina law—even before leaving the store.

Price Tag Alteration

Altering price tags, switching labels, or transferring goods between containers to pay less than full retail price satisfies all shoplifting elements under state law.

Third Offense Mandatory Minimum

Third shoplifting conviction triggers mandatory 30-day to one-year sentence that judges cannot suspend regardless of circumstances or mitigating factors.

Civil Recovery Demands

Merchants can pursue up to three times retail value plus attorney fees separate from criminal prosecution. Responding improperly creates confession risks.

McGuire Law's Core Values

When a shoplifting charge threatens your career, education, and future, you need an attorney who understands that these cases require aggressive defense regardless of the dollar amount involved.

Record Protection Focus

Every strategy decision prioritizes keeping theft convictions off your permanent record—because employers view any theft conviction as disqualifying dishonesty.

First-Offense Expertise

Securing PTI, conditional discharge, and diversion programs that result in dismissal and expungement for first-time offenders throughout Richland and Lexington Counties.

Immediate Response

Available 24/7 to answer calls from clients detained by loss prevention, ensuring you understand your rights before making statements that become prosecution evidence.

Civil Demand Management

Coordinating criminal defense with civil demand responses, ensuring retailer letters don't create admissions while protecting you from excessive civil liability.

Student and Youth Defense

Special focus on protecting USC students, young professionals, and juveniles whose futures shouldn't be destroyed by impulsive mistakes or misunderstandings.

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Common Arrest Scenarios & Investigation Process

Understanding how Columbia retailers and law enforcement build shoplifting cases helps identify the weaknesses and constitutional violations that lead to dismissals.

Loss Prevention Detention

Security officers at Columbiana Centre, Village at Sandhill, or Harbison stores stopping customers beyond registers, reviewing receipts and searching bags without proper authority.

Self-Checkout Errors

Scanning mistakes at Walmart, Target, or grocery stores where technology failures, forgotten items in cart bottoms, or confusing interfaces become shoplifting accusations.

Surveillance Video Evidence

Retailers recording customers concealing merchandise, removing security tags, or leaving without paying—footage that often shows innocent explanations when properly analyzed.

USC Student Arrests

Students arrested near campus at Publix, CVS, or Five Points retailers where shoplifting convictions jeopardize scholarships, financial aid, and academic standing.

Employee Theft Allegations

Workers accused of stealing merchandise, cash, or inventory creating both criminal charges and civil liability requiring coordinated defense strategy.

Refund Fraud Accusations

Returning stolen merchandise, using fake receipts, or serial returning creating enhanced prosecution focus and potential organized retail crime charges.

The McGuire Law Difference

Shoplifting cases require an attorney who understands that protecting your record matters more than the dollar amount involved—because theft convictions follow you forever.

Three Decades of Theft Defense

Matt McGuire has defended shoplifting and theft charges in Columbia for over 30 years, achieving dismissals, PTI diversions, and record-protecting outcomes in hundreds of cases.

Former Prosecutor Insight

As a former Assistant Attorney General and Assistant Solicitor, Matt understands how prosecutors evaluate shoplifting cases—and where those cases are vulnerable to dismissal.

Local Court Relationships

Regular appearances in Columbia Municipal Court and magistrate courts throughout Richland and Lexington Counties, with credibility built over three decades of practice.

PTI Program Success

Extensive experience securing Pretrial Intervention eligibility for first-time offenders, navigating program requirements, and ensuring successful completion leads to dismissal.

Expungement Guidance

Guiding clients through South Carolina's expungement procedures, protecting future opportunities by clearing records after successful case resolution.

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Defense Strategies & Constitutional Protections

Every shoplifting case has potential defenses—from lack of intent to illegal detention to surveillance video that proves innocence when properly analyzed.

Intent-Based Defenses

  • Forgot items in cart or distracted by children or phone calls
  • Genuinely believed items were already paid for
  • Medical conditions causing confusion or cognitive impairment
  • Medication side effects affecting judgment or memory

Constitutional Challenges

  • Loss prevention lacked probable cause for detention
  • Excessive force or unreasonable detention duration
  • Mistaken identity based on inadequate surveillance
  • Stopped before completing any criminal act

Video Evidence Works Both Ways

Surveillance footage that prosecutors think proves guilt often shows innocent explanations—attempted payment, confusion, or that you never concealed anything at all.

Sentencing Consequences & Collateral Damage

A shoplifting conviction creates consequences far beyond court-ordered penalties—permanently affecting employment, education, professional licensing, and military service.

Criminal Record Creation

Permanent theft conviction visible to employers, professional licensing boards, educational institutions, and landlords conducting background checks for life.

Jail Time Exposure

Up to 30 days for first offense misdemeanor, with mandatory minimums for repeat offenses regardless of amounts involved or mitigating circumstances.

Employment Destruction

Theft convictions signal dishonesty to employers, particularly devastating for retail workers, healthcare professionals, teachers, and anyone in positions of trust.

Professional Licensing Issues

Nurses, lawyers, teachers, accountants, and others face disciplinary proceedings where moral turpitude convictions threaten licenses and careers.

Immigration Consequences

For non-citizens, shoplifting may constitute a crime involving moral turpitude potentially triggering deportation or inadmissibility consequences.

College and Military Impact

USC students face academic discipline and scholarship loss; military applicants or service members face disqualification or discharge proceedings.

Rights During Police Encounters

What you say and do after being stopped by loss prevention or arrested by police directly impacts whether your case ends in dismissal or conviction.

Refuse to Speak with Loss Prevention

Loss prevention officers are not law enforcement and cannot legally force you to provide identification or statements. You have no obligation to answer their questions.

Never Sign Confessions

Do not sign statements presented by store security admitting theft, providing personal information, or agreeing to repayment before consulting Matt McGuire.

Invoke Fifth Amendment Rights

When Columbia Police arrive, state clearly: "I want my lawyer and will not answer questions." Then remain silent regardless of pressure.

Challenge Detention Duration

South Carolina law allows merchants reasonable time for investigation, but extended detainment becomes false imprisonment actionable against the retailer.

Refuse Consent to Searches

Do not consent to searches of bags, purses, phones, or vehicles—force security and police to articulate probable cause or obtain warrants.

Document Everything

Record security officer names, exact accusations, detention duration, witness presence, and any injuries or excessive force during stops for your defense.

Call (888) 499-5738 Immediately After Arrest

Local Courts & Law Enforcement

Understanding which agencies and courts handle your shoplifting case—and how they operate—is essential to building an effective defense strategy.

Columbia Police Department

Responds to shoplifting calls at retailers throughout city limits, making arrests after loss prevention conducts initial investigations and detentions.

Richland County Sheriff's Office

Handles shoplifting in unincorporated areas including Northeast Columbia, Blythewood, and retail areas beyond Columbia city jurisdiction.

Lexington County Agencies

Prosecutes shoplifting at stores along Harbison Boulevard, Lexington, and Irmo areas in magistrate and municipal courts with separate procedures.

Columbia Municipal Court

Located at 1800 Main Street, prosecutes misdemeanor shoplifting from city retailers with proceedings typically occurring within 4-8 weeks of arrest.

Expungement & Post-Conviction Relief

South Carolina law provides pathways to clear shoplifting records—but understanding these opportunities and preserving them requires experienced legal guidance.

First Offense Expungement

Available under S.C. Code § 22-5-910 for shoplifting under $2,000 after completing sentence, paying fines, and waiting the required three-year period.

PTI Dismissal Expungement

Pretrial Intervention dismissals in Richland and Lexington Counties allow immediate expungement without conviction upon successful program completion.

Youthful Offender Status

Defendants under 25 at time of offense may qualify for sealing of records and avoiding adult conviction consequences under youthful offender provisions.

One Expungement Limitation

South Carolina allows only one misdemeanor expungement in lifetime, making preservation of this opportunity critical for any shoplifting case resolution.

Non-Conviction Expungements

Immediately available when charges are dismissed, nolle prossed, or result in not guilty verdicts—clearing arrest records completely.

Employment Restoration

Following successful expungement, background checks should not reveal the shoplifting arrest or conviction, restoring employment opportunities.

Matt McGuire - Attorney

About South Carolina Attorney Matt McGuire

Matt McGuire South Carolina Attorney

With over 30 years of experience defending South Carolina, McGuire Law provides elite legal representation with national recognition. McGuire Law has grown from a small practice into one of the most trusted law firms in South Carolina. We understand that legal issues can be overwhelming, whether you're facing criminal charges, dealing with injuries from an accident, or navigating family law matters.

McGuire Law is committed to each client's unique situation, and we don't believe in boilerplate solutions. Every case requires careful analysis, strategic planning, and aggressive representation. Our firm combines over 30 years of experience with cutting-edge legal strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.

McGuire Law serves all 46 South Carolina counties. We know these counties, their courts, their legal communities, and most importantly, the people who live here. This local knowledge, combined with our legal expertise, gives our clients a significant advantage.

Matt McGuire received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Matt has served as a law clerk for a State Circuit Judge, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina, and an Assistant Solicitor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Matt is a proud husband, father of two, and a long-time resident of Richland County, South Carolina.

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Get Started Today

When you're facing shoplifting charges in Columbia, you need more than just any attorney – you need Matt McGuire and McGuire Law with over 30 years defending theft cases in Richland and Lexington Counties.

Don't let a shoplifting arrest destroy your future. Columbia Police Department and store security build cases using video surveillance, witness statements, and your own admissions made during initial confrontations—statements made before you understood the severity of charges or had legal representation. When you're arrested for shoplifting in Columbia, retailers pursue both criminal prosecution and civil recovery demands, and convictions create theft records that employers interpret as dishonesty. Call McGuire Law now.

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Columbia Office

2001 Assembly Street, Suite 102-B
Columbia, SC 29201

(888) 499-5738

Contact McGuire Law Today

Matt McGuire has defended shoplifting charges throughout Columbia and South Carolina for over 30 years, securing dismissals, pretrial intervention, and protecting clients from theft convictions in Columbia Municipal Court and courts across Richland and Lexington Counties. Call (888) 499-5738 immediately after arrest, before responding to civil demand letters or agreeing to any restitution that creates admissions used in prosecution.

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." — Henry Ford