I didn't read everything above, but I got caught at Brighton a few years. ago. Sucks!! When I was caught in high school it just cost $50 or so to get it back. If you are 18 or older, DO NOT GET CAUGHT. I have a Class B Misdemeanor for theft of services now. It cost about $500 and I had to go to an all day theft class. Yeah all that sucks there, but the real problem is when you are trying to apply for jobs. I wasn't able to get my real estate license for a while because of it. I am not allowed in Canada because of it (sucks when you find out at the boarder).
Moral of the story, if you are over eighteen, you are screwed. Do whatever you can to buy off the liftie. It's not worth it. Trust me, I know from experience.
And if you do go to court, get a plea in abeyance. I wish I had known that.