An estimated 13.5 million property crimes, including theft, occurred in 2018. This is lower than it has been in previous years, but it is still a serious problem. While we know the statistics, we don’t really know what happens when someone gets arrested for stealing.
Continue reading to learn what to expect when you get charged with theft in Florida.
Criminal Defense Attorney
You will need the help of a criminal defense attorney to navigate you through your charges. Flaherty Defense Firm can help you with all of your attorney needs when you get charged with theft.
Types of Theft Crimes
There are two main types of theft crimes that an individual can get charged with: petit theft and grand theft. The difference between the two is the amount of money that is stolen.
Some other types of theft that you can get charged for may fall under the petit and grand theft types, but they still need to be mentioned. They are:
- Dealing in stolen property
- Failure to return leased property
- Insurance fraud
- Employee theft
- Pawning under false pretenses
- Possessing an anti-shoplifting device
Petit theft is when an individual knowingly takes something that doesn’t belong to them. This item is anything less than $300. Grand theft is when the items total more than $300.
What Happens if You’re Charged With Theft?
The types of crimes listed above will have a different charge when it all comes together. Each charge gets based on what the theft entailed.
Petit Theft Consequences
Petit theft is the lowest level theft charge in Florida. Items less than $100 is considered a second-degree misdemeanor. This can convey up to 60 days in jail, up to 6 months on probation, and up to $500 in fines.
A first-degree misdemeanor comes into play when an individual steals more than $100 but less than $300. The consequences of a first-degree misdemeanor are more severe: up to one year in jail, up to one year on probation, and up to $1,000 in fines.
Grand Theft Consequences
Grand theft is considered a felony charge. Third-degree grand theft is for items valued for more than $300 but less than $20,000. The consequences for third-degree is up to five years in jail and up to $5,000 in fines.
For grand theft to be as a second-degree felony, the property stolen must amount to $20,000 to $100,000. The consequences of a second-degree grand theft are up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
The worst consequence of grand theft is a first-degree felony charge. This occurs when more than $100,000 worth of property is stolen. The penalty may be up to 30 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
If You Can’t Do the Time Don’t Do the Crime
The saying goes, if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime, but grasping that concept doesn’t automatically mean that people are going to stop stealing. If you find yourself in the position to get charged with theft, you need to understand what is going to happen.
Facing arrest can be a scary thing, but you don’t have to do it alone. A criminal defense attorney can help you through the process.
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