Not only can an accusation of retail theft bring the risk of criminal penalties, it can also lead to a warrant being issued for your arrest for missing a court date. The first court date, or "return date" listed on a desk appearance ticket is a mandatory date in which you and your attorney must appear in court for your arraignment.
Generally, the court will not change your court date to a more convenient date. We have seen well meaning individuals attempt to change the date only to later to be arrested for failing to appear which also complicates the underlying offense.
If you have unusual circumstances such as a trip, work obligation, or other serious obstacle, you should contact an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to determine if another arrangement can be made. With the help of an attorney, you may be able to solve a court date scheduling problem without getting a warrant.