Former Prosecutor | Former Insurance Defense Attorney

Click To Call : Free Consultations

Criminal Defense
View Practice Areas

Personal Injury
View Practice Areas

Naples, Florida

Facing theft charges? Know what you are up against

On Behalf of | Nov 20, 2019 | Criminal Defense

Criminal charges can change the trajectory of a person’s life. If convicted, a Florida defendant could be facing time behind bars, steep penalties and even the loss of his or her reputation. If you find yourself charged with any type of crime, you know that it’s important to fight back with everything you have, no matter the nature of the specific charges you are up against.

Theft charges can arise out of many different situations. Ultimately, it is the crime of taking another person’s property without permission or payment. This may not seem like a big deal, but you should take your case seriously. No matter what you are facing, it is in your interests to develop an effective and strong defense strategy as soon as possible.

What is theft, anyway?

There are different types of crimes that involve taking another person’s property. Theft is what happens when a person allegedly takes something that belongs to someone else with the intention of permanently depriving that person of the item. It is not always easy to prove theft because it is inherently difficult to prove a person’s intent. It is a complex legal challenge to prove beyond a doubt that someone proceeded with a specific intention behind his or her actions.

Two types of theft

If you are facing charges of theft, the charges against you are probably petty theft or grand theft. The specific degree of theft charge depends on the type of property involved and its monetary value. Petty theft charges involve property that is usually worth $1,000 or less. Grand theft charges involve property that is worth more. There can be more specific categories of theft charges involving particularly valuable property, such as grand theft auto for stealing a car.

The right defense strategy against theft

Theft is a serious criminal charge, and you would be wise to start working on the best way to confront this charge as soon as possible after arrest. A good place to start is to simply seek a case evaluation from an experienced defense attorney.

By seeking legal guidance from the very beginning of the process, you can effectively fight back against the theft charges that are threatening your future. Whether you are up against a misdemeanor or felony charge, it’s worthwhile to fight to keep your criminal record clean and to shield your long-term interests.

Categories

Archives