Shoplifting question - security cameras and credit cards?

If you go in a store and steal something (like put it in your pocket or purse) and then make additional purchases with a credit card, and someone later sees you commit the crime when reviewing security tapes, can the store track down your personal information from the credit card company and have you arrested?

Technically, yes. Finding out who you are by tracking your credit card is no big deal; I do it every day, and it takes only seconds.

Realistically, no. Every company I've ever worked for all have had a strict set of guidelines for making apprehensions, and the scenario that you've outlined here violates those guidelines. There's no retailer that I know of that would file charges and prosecute under these circumstances; all a defense attorney would have to do is get a copy of the guidelines for apprehension - and he will, trust me - and then take them to court. He then points out that the store violated procedures, which will create reasonable doubt, and cause the store to lose the case. That, in turn, opens the store up for a civil lawsuit for unlawful prosecution. No store wants that, believe me.

So, like I said, technically yes, but realistically - not a chance in hell.

dam right they can and if you did such a thing but no offense it was pretty dumb

If you enter a store with notice of cameras and you steal something the store may use all legal means possible to find out who you are, hence if they identify you on security cameras which are time stamped they then can go to that particular cash register run it for the information

I should hope so!

Almost everything in a good-sized department store will also have these nifty little things called "RFID" tags. They can track your butt out the door, even without the cameras.

Assuming a camera is recording the checkout line, they would know the checkout number and time of the transaction. From that , they could retrieve the transaction details including the credit card number from their own computers. In order to get personal information from the credit card company, they would have to convince a court to issue a warrant. I don't know if the court would accept the tapes and checkout records as probably cause to issue a warrant.

Yes, I've caught people doing that. Well the store won't track your personal information but the police department will when the store makes a report.