Theft is actually one of the most common crimes people are charged with in California. This is due in large part to the fact that there are so many different crimes that fall under the umbrella of theft. No matter what you’ve been charged with, and no matter what the evidence is against you, your next call should be to a theft attorney in California. Read on to learn more and then contact Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 for more information.
The different types of theft
According to California law, there are many crimes that qualify as theft. They include everything from petty theft to carjacking. Whether you are accused of receiving stolen property, embezzlement, grand theft auto, or any other type of theft, we can help you.
These charges can be confusing to people who don’t work in the legal field because the differences between various theft charges are nuanced. That’s why you need an experience attorney who understands the ins and outs. Take this example: If a prosecutor wants to get a conviction for grand theft auto, then they are required to prove that the person who stole the property had the intention of keeping that property for a long period of time.
As a result, all it would take is for a theft attorney to prove that the person did steal the car but didn’t intend to keep it for a long period of time. If they can do that, then the charge is likely to be reduced to a misdemeanor like joyriding – which comes with a much lighter penalty.
Potential consequence for theft crimes
Of course, the specific penalty for any given case will vary based on the evidence, the crime in question, and the criminal history of the person who’s convicted. The least severe conviction is petty theft, which involves taking goods (or cash) worth $950 or less. The 1st offense of this crime is a misdemeanor, though additional offenses can be charged as felonies.
On the other hand, robbery is one of the most serious types of theft crimes, in large part because it likely involves violence. Anyone who is convicted of brandishing their weapon while they were robbing someone can be convicted of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, which comes with some of the harshest penalties.
Find the right legal defense for your case
The first thing we’ll do when you contact Chambers Law Firm is to consider your case and see if we can show that the prosecution doesn’t have enough evidence. If that’s the case, then we may be able to have the case dismissed. If not, then we may work to show that evidence against you was obtained illegally. Other options include finding creative sentences like counseling or community service for first time offenders.
To get a better idea of what you’re up against, call us today at 714-760-4088 for your free theft case evaluation.
