WA What will Happen if I Go to Police Station?

[Narelledad]

Why do the police want me to come to their station?

My question involves criminal law for the state of Western Australia.

Hi, two weeks ago I went into Best and Less and took 3 items to the value of $75. The shop assistant and security officer stopped me ten minutes later in front of another store with my children. I have been placed on heavy medication for depression following a divorce and have even experiencing financial hardship.

They said they saw me on security camera putting something black in my bag. After they went through all my shopping the found all three items and took them back, informed me I was banned from the whole shopping centre for six months, I was escorted out by the security guard. However, the police have been at my parents' house and my house looking for me and left a card so I rang them and they informed me I need to go down to their station to discuss what happened at the store.

They said all officers around WA have my name and if I don't come down to get it sorted and get stopped driving, I will be arrested. I have all my kids with me and do not know what to expect at the station and am very scared.

Can you let me know what will happen as I thought it was dealt with on the day by the shop workers? Nobody on the day took down any of my details, only that if I gave the items back and I got banned from the store, then they will just let it go. I don't even know how the police got my number or address.

Regards

 

[Rod]

Chances are you will be arrested, interviewed at the police station, charged with theft, and released.

Probably best to go there but other than name and address, say nothing. Do not volunteer any information, including medication, or financial hardship. If you have a friend you trust, take them with you for support. They won't be allowed in the interview but can wait for you.

It will be hard not to talk but it is not in your interests to give information to the police that they will then use against you. Police in this situation are not there to help you. You are not obligated to answer any question other than name and address. They may push you, may ask trick questions, may try to be friendly. Stay strong, your kids need you to be strong. BTW, if this is your first offence, there's are good chance the sentence will not be stiff. Plus you have mitigating circumstances (health, divorce, financial hardship, kids).

After you have been charged you will have plenty of time to see legal aid or a community legal centre such as: clca-wa-inc