Dowling, MI Criminal Defense Law Firms & Lawyers

This is tricky and also very serious. You are facing a felony charge if they say you falsely reported a felony. It will be up to the prosecution to prove your guilt that you knowingly filed a false police report beyond all reasonable doubt. Seek counsel from a lawyer if you have been charged and before agreeing to speak with police.

The State will try and serve the alleged victim to get him/her to testify. The accused need to attend court and not waive his speedy trial rights in order to force the state to find him/her faster or dismiss it.

Sounds like they have sent you a civil demand letter. The law (at least in California) allows retailers who catch shoplifters to recover costs in the form of a civil demand. Be aware, however, that if you don't pay, there is very little they can do about it. Yes, in theory they could sue, but the cost of the suit would outweigh the few hundred dollars they stand to recover. So they rarely, if ever, sue. Civil demand letters are essentially a shakedown.