Civil Theft Notice what does this mean exactly?

Washington has a statute that provides that anyone caught shoplifting may be assessed a penalty by the store. The store may send a demand letter advising you to pay it or they will sue you. Some stores send the demand letters, other don't. Of the stores that send them, some will sue to collect, others wont. It depends on the store.

The letter means that they are claiming that you got caught shoplifting and that as a result the you owe the store money. You should discuss the case with an attorney that handles criminal cases. You are at risk of being charged with a criminal offense. You should be an attorney to help you decide how to respond the this civil claim and also to try to see if you can avoid criminal charges. Good luck.

Civil demand letters are not uncommon when caught for shoplifting. You may already, or soon will be, faced with criminal charges (even if the police were not involved when you were caught). It's important to speak to a criminal defense attorney at this point, and to bring the civil demand letter with you when you do. There are steps an attorney can take to potentially mitigate your criminal liability when dealing with these cases, but it is very fact dependent, so speaking with an attorney immediately is your best course.

Have your criminal defense attorney review the best course of action with you. Often the lawyers for the company where the theft was allegedly committed will negotiate a reduction with you on the civil demand amount. Also, paying this can help with resolving your criminal case, but talk to a criminal lawyer first. Good luck.