Which is it for a suspected thief: truth or consequences?

During my 13 years as a police detective, i have arrested many thieves suspected of committing many crimes. after advising them of their Consitutional Rights, the first question i would ask them is this: “tell me the truth or suffer the consequences”. many people want to confess to the crime they are charged with and this saying has worked wonders for me. i think the truth behind this statement is that it allows the thief an opportunity to tell the truth upfront and maybe receive a lighter sentence for co-operating with the police. not all thieves do this and they subsequently suffer the consequences. you are arrested and charged with a crime. its your choice, which would you do? tell the truth or suffer the consequences?