Virginia | Petty Theft

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Petty crime can seem like such a minor thing, but when it gets onto your permanent record, you know that you could have a lot of trouble going on. This is still considered a criminal offense, even if it may not seem as bad as some of the other theft issues that you could be dealing with. Whether you are shoplifting or performing retail theft, you need to take these thefts pretty seriously because the courts are not going to go lightly on you. If you are being charged with petty theft because of your activities in the past, make sure to find the right criminal defense lawyer in Virginia to help make this so much better.

What is Petty Theft?

Petty theft can be considered a criminal offense when taken to courts in Virginia. While it may not be as serious as a moving violation or some of the other crimes that you could commit, it is still something that you need to take into consideration when you are dealing with petty theft. You could face all the penalties of a criminal offense if this is not taken seriously and without a good criminal defense lawyer, you could spend time in jail and have to deal with heavy fines.

Theft is usually considered to have happened when one person, the accused, has taken possession or control that is not authorized of the property of another with the intent to steal. If your friends lets you borrow their car for the day, you are not going to be charged with petty theft or other types of theft. This can make the big difference in your case and it is one of the defenses that you could use with your criminal lawyer. They will try to see if you took the property believing that you were given permission to take it. If they can prove that, there isn’t really a case against you to start with.

If the defense doesn’t work, you could face the costs of court for both parties involved plus $400 even if the item was really small. You could get probation and have to meet with your counselor on occasion to avoid penalties or other criminal offenses, and sometimes you could go to jail for more than six months. As you can see, this is a lot of penalties for something that could be very small, so staying away from petty theft is often the best option.

Things to Consider

While this is usually a small crime and you could get off with the right criminal defense lawyer, there are some other things that you will need to consider when it comes to how many penalties that you are going to get. For example, if you have had other convictions in the past, especially those that are associated with theft, you are probably going to get higher penalties than someone who did this as their first ever offense. Even with a first offense, you could still face up to six months in jail.

In addition, if you had a weapon with you while committing the petty theft or there were other crimes involved, such as drinking while driving or using illegal drugs in the process, you are going to find that the penalties will go up.

If you are dealing with charges of petty theft or other criminal charges, need to find your criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. This will ensure that you are getting a great trial and that your penalties are reduced as much as possible right away. Contact one in your area as soon as possible and don’t face a moment of this case on your own.

Lawyers Directory

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