Q: My question is, can they do that? Agree to $85 being the amount repaid, and then demand an additional $200 or be sued.
I was working for a pet store/supply company, and stole $85 worth of merchandise due to financial issues I’ve been having. I apologized, admitted to my wrong actions, and even agreed to pay back the $85 which is the amount a cooperate representative of the company agreed was the correct amount needed to be repaid. I was put on suspension after signing an apology letter and saying I wasn’t threatened to pay this back. Then about 2 weeks later, fired. Today I received a letter from the company’s law firm that dealt with theft situations saying they want $285 or else they will sue me. Since only $85 was agreed on, can they do that?
A: First, yes, they can sue you. There is a statute that allows merchants to sue for statutory damages of $200 from thieves to help defray the costs of loss prevention. But they probably won't. They simply cannot win enough money to make it worth the time. In many courts it costs more than $200 to file a lawsuit.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
