South Dakota Shoplifting Laws

22-30A-1. Theft--Violation.

Any person who takes, or exercises unauthorized control over, property of another, with intent to deprive that person of the property, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-19.1. Liability of shoplifter to merchant -- Penalty.

Any adult, or any emancipated minor as defined in § 25-5-24, or any parent or guardian of any unemancipated minor, who takes possession of any goods, wares, or merchandise displayed or offered for sale by a store or other mercantile establishment without the consent of the owner or seller, and with the intention of converting the goods to the person's own use without having paid the purchase price, is liable to the owner or seller for the retail value of the merchandise, regardless of whether or not the merchandise has been recovered in undamaged condition by the owner or seller. In addition, the owner or seller is entitled to a penalty of four times the retail value of the merchandise, or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater.

22-30A-19.2. Detention of suspected shoplifter -- Reasonableness -- Grounds.

Any owner or seller of merchandise, who has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed retail theft pursuant to § 22-30A-19.1, may detain such person, on or off the premises of a retail mercantile establishment, in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time:

(1) To request identification;

(2) To verify such identification;

(3) To make reasonable inquiry as to whether such person has in his or her possession unpurchased merchandise and, to make reasonable investigation of the ownership of such merchandise;

(4) To inform a law enforcement officer of the detention of the person and surrender that person to the custody of a law enforcement officer; and

(5) In the case of a minor, to inform a law enforcement officer, a parent, guardian, or other private person interested in the welfare of the detained minor and to surrender custody of the minor to such person.

An owner or seller of merchandise may make a detention as permitted in this section off the premises of a retail mercantile establishment only if such detention is pursuant to the immediate pursuit of such person.

22-30A-19.3. Demand for payment by victim of retail theft.

Any owner or seller of merchandise who is the victim of retail theft pursuant to § 22-30A-19.1 may make a written demand for the amount for which any person is liable pursuant to § 22-30A-19.1. Except for a sole proprietorship, a member of management, other than the initial detaining person, shall evaluate the validity of the accusation that an act of retail theft was committed and shall approve the accusation before a written demand for payment is issued. The demand for payment shall be mailed by certified mail to the person from whom payment is demanded or served personally on the person from whom payment is demanded. Personal service shall be accomplished in the same manner as the service of a summons.

22-30A-19.4. Failure to pay liability for theft -- Penalty doubled.

If the person to whom a written demand is made pursuant to § 22-30A-19.3 complies by making full payment of the amount required by the written demand within thirty days after its receipt, that person incurs no further civil liability to the owner or seller of the merchandise. However, if the person to whom a written demand is made fails to make full payment pursuant to that written demand, then the penalty allowed in § 22- 30A-19.1 may be doubled.

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