Illinois Shoplifting Law and Civil Liability

Retail theft is a serious crime in Illinois and the law imposes harsh penalties on anyone who is caught stealing from any stores. The statute in Illinois governing the criminal offense of retail theft is 720 ILCS 5/16-25. Anyone who is charged with retail theft for the first time is likely to be surprised at how easily this offense becomes a felony. Shoplifting is widespread in retail establishments particularly because the theft can occur in many different ways.