I'm not sure what laws are on the books there, but in Cali the severity of the crime, misdemeanor vs felony is based on the dollar amount of the items taken. In fact Jan 2011, petty theft jumped from $401 to $950 to make it a felony. Also, any prior thefts, parole or probation status would be considered before letting the guy go.
Sounds like he got the right cops (non-botl), cuz I would have booked him and put him in the cell with LeRoy!!
