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how do i get an order of no trespass in illinois?

i had some shoplifters in my retail store and a police officer saw them stealing and asked them to step outside. he said since he asked them to step outside, the case would be thrown out of court. he gave me all their info and said i should send them certified letters of order of no trespass. Didn't know if i needed to do this through the local courthouse or if i could just write a standard letter asking them to return to our business or if there was a template to use.

Public Comments

1. The notion that stepping outside somehow destroyed the chance for prosecution is incorrect. If you are taking legal advice from the person who suggested that, you might want to reconsider. A notice for purposes of the trespass laws does not come from the court, it comes from the person who owns or possesses land. You give someone notice, by certified mail, that they are not allowed to enter those lands. Give a specific time frame, such as ten years as it cannot extend beyond your death. Entry after recieving such notice is punishable as a criminal trespass.
2. No, you just need to send letters to those addresses address to those people certified (return receipt requested) and first class mail simultaneously the letter should state the individual's name. That they are no longer allowed on the premisis and that if they do come they will be considered trespassing upon private property. By doing this, it will consider them as served. And if they come in your store, they can be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.