I was recently arrested in Barrow County, GA from my job for theft by taking in the amount of $119.99.

Telling you that they have you on video is a trick used by loss prevention officers (LPO) to get you to confess. In my opinion, confessing to a crime never helps you in court because it just makes it easier for the prosecutor to prove the case against you. You should hire a lawyer immediately. Hopefully that lawyer will be able to get you into a diversion program which will result in your case being dismissed and your arrest being expunged from your criminal history.

Being honest will always help your case. The judge and solicitor should take this into consideration as part of your sentencing. However, you will face a penalty. They will not just let you off with a warning because you said you were sorry. By hiring a lawyer, you also demonstrate to the court that you are taking this matter seriously. I would consider hiring a local attorney to help you in this matter.

It is good that you were able to return the property intact to the store. If this is your first arrest you may be able to enter certain diversion programs that will allow you to keep a conviction off of your record, and then expunge the arrest from your criminal history. Even if this is not your first arrest it is good you returned the property. When I was a prosecutor we always inquired as to whether or not the property was recovered, and what condition it was in when it was recovered. Also, be prepared to get a letter form a civil law firm demanding damages for attempting to steal an item from the store. All of the big chain stores do this. Typically, from my experience, these letters are just a threat and a letter back explaining the merchandise was returned undamaged is enough to stop them.