This person is not sure whether their friend shoplifted or not.

Hey,

Thanks for coming to us for advice! I'll make this short and simple so that you leave with no confused feelings. You want to know the absolute truth without ruining a friendship that you cherish, right? Good. Here's a simple way to do that: go back to the exact store, and tell the assistant, manager, or employee that you lost your wallet or some other valuable. Tell them you're wondering if you could check the security footage, with an employee of course, to see if it was dropped. If you want, go for something smaller that would not have been turned into a lost and found. Problem solved. You'll see with actual proof if she did it or not with no harm at all. If she did shoplift, confront her. Ask her why she had to resort to doing so. She might be going through some problems unknown to you and didn't want to talk about it because some people are embarrassed by their financial problems. If she did it on purpose, begin to slowly distance yourself from her. I know that she is your friend and means a lot to you, but friends make a big part of your personality. This is what is best for you. If this was all a big misunderstanding, then just put it behind you—end of story either way. I wish you the best in your endeavors.

Good luck!

The Advice Column Team