Wal mart theft and their security cameras?

a buddy of mine got arrested for shop lifting from a local wal mart supercenter recentally. they are saying it was from something he stole like 8 months ago and he is being charged with a felony 5. does anyone know how much dollar amount makes it a felony in ohio and does anyone know anything about wal mart security cameras and how they may have caught him and/or why it took this long?

"If the value of the property of services stolen is five hundred dollars or more and is less than five thousand dollars or if the property stolen is [a credit card, check, license plate, vehicle title, license form], a violation of this section is theft, a felony of the fifth degree."

$5K-100K ===> grand theft, a felony of the fourth degree
$100k-500K ===> aggravated theft, a felony of the third degree
$500K-$1M ===> aggravated theft, a felony of the second degree
More than $1M ===> aggravated theft, a felony of the first degree

As far as the timing of the charge goes, realize the company must first determine something is missing (at inventory time or when reordering, perhaps), then figure out approximately when it was stolen, check the tapes for the deed, try to identify the thief, and make an appropriate report to the police/prosecutor. The prosecutor must decide whether to file the charges and the police must pick him up. In other words, it can take a while.

Look at it this way: he got away with it for this long. Consider that a gift; he deserved less.

(Why does everyone who commits a crime try to find a way out of the punishment? What the heck do thieves expect?)

Next time you see him thank him for us personally! As taxpayers, WE are paying for the things they steal! Some friend that drives UP prices that are already too high!

Why are you buddies with someone that shoplifts?
Where are your ethics and morals.
Check your self.
Grow up. Be a man and a good person. Let the buddy go

Not only does Wal-Mart have security cameras but they also have Loss Prevention officers walking around, that look just like regular shoppers and if you come in the store and get caught on camera stealing but they have no idea what your name is, they keep your picture...you come in again and your done for. Could it be that he didn't return to that particular Wal-Mart until the day he was arrested? Also, if a warrant was issued for his arrest, not always do they come banging down your door...being in law enforcement, I have seen people go 2 years having no idea they have a warrant out and then they get pulled over for speeding and bam, they go to jail for something they did so long ago.