Can you legally steal your own property hours after a police officer hands it to the thief?
Yesterday my phone was stolen at lunch and I chased down the girl who stole it making a scene in the mall. A Plano police officer overheard the commotion and came over.
The girl tried to say I was trying to steal her phone. I told the officer that I could unlock the phone and the girl could not, I told him my pictures are on the phone, my bank information was on the phone, and basically my entire life was there to prove it was mine.
He refused to give me the chance or believe me. He told me to back off and leave her alone or he would arrest me.
I left.
The girl was wearing a uniform of one of the shops in the mall so I decided to check back 2 hours later. I saw her set my phone down by the cash register of her work after failing again to break into my phone.
When no one was in her store and her back was turned I took my phone back.
Before anyone starts going off on me for it, I know. I know exactly what I did was extremely stupid but I am still paying for that phone so...yeah.
I am asking for the legalities of it.
The phone was set on a counter and not in an area that would be considered employee only, the store was open, and the phone is legally mine.
The place is obviously heavily video monitored so there is no doubt that I am on video. My questions are simply did I break any laws?
If the phone was on the counter, not behind the register but on the counter, the store was open and I was not asked to leave, and the phone is legally my property did I break the law?
EDIT: Thanks for all of the info. I do not wish to pursue a police complaint nor do I wish to report the crime. I am too lazy for that.
EDIT2: uhh I'm a dude.
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