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In the criminal law, theft (also known as stealing) is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's freely-given consent.
As a term, it is used as shorthand for all major crimes against property, encompassing offences such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting,
robbery, mugging, trespassing, shoplifting, intrusion, fraud (theft by deception) and sometimes criminal conversion. In some jurisdictions,
theft is considered to be synonymous with larceny; in others, theft has replaced larceny
California consolidated a variety of common law crimes into theft in 1927, and now distinguishes between two types of theft,
grand theft and petty theft. Grand theft generally consists of the theft of something of value over $400 (it can be money, labor or property),
while petty theft is the default category for all other thefts. Grand theft is punishable by up to a year in jail or prison,
and can either be seen as a misdemeanor or felony. while petty theft is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or six months in jail. As for the older crimes of larceny,
embezzling, and stealing, any references to them now mean theft instead.
At the law firm of Kate L. Raynor P.C. we take a proactive approach in defending clients who have been charged with theft. Even a conviction for petty theft can be very detrimental to your future. A misdemeanor shoplifting conviction will result in a permanent criminal record. In addition, one petty theft conviction will build on another, and your third offense will be charged as a felony.
Many theft charges can be resolved through a diversion program called pre-trial intervention. If you want to take responsibility for the theft charge, we can take the money you would otherwise pay us and use it instead to pay restitution, fine, and court costs. Our fees for this would be less than defending you in a court trial, and we can often resolve the charge without you getting a criminal record. If we are successful in getting the charges dismissed, we can have your record sealed, so that if you are ever asked if you have been arrested for a misdemeanor or felony, you can confidently answer no.
If you did not commit the crime of theft, we can prepare an aggressive defense and force the state to prove its case.
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