I think the strongest defense in a shoplifting case is intent. The prosecution has to prove that you actually intended that the shoplifter intended to deprive the property owner of that particular property. If the person doesn’t leave the store, if the person says oh, I forgot, I wasn’t sure, maybe my child put the item in the cart and I didn’t realize, things fall on the ground those would be possible clues with respect to the lack of intent. So that’s probably the strongest defense a person has.

The other defense was you’ve caught the wrong person that tends to be a little bit weaker. That tends perhaps not necessarily to be the case in most shoplifting matters but it is a defense that can be asserted.