A petty theft is the taking of property valued at $ 950 or less and is a misdemeanor punishable by up six months jail and $ 1000 fine, taking less than $50 in value may be petty theft as an infraction. A grand theft is the taking property of valued at more than $ 950 and is a felony punishable by up to 1 year in County Jail and probation or up to a 3 year prison commit. There are also other forms of grand theft which vary depending on the type of property taken, firearms, livestock, agricultural produce etc.
An important aspect in most theft cases is restitution to the victim for the loss. Some cases which start out as felonies may be negotiated to lesser misdemeanor charges with full restitution depending on factors like lack of prior record, the amount taken, how it was taken and many other considerations. Every case is different and has mitigating and aggravating factors which need to be considered in presenting the best case possible either in negotiation or sentencing if there is not a defense.
Theft is the taking of property with the specific intent of permanently depriving the owner of the property. Theft offense convictions can have lasting consequences for employment, licensing, immigration, security clearances and many other aspects of your life. Christoph Law Offices have handled hundreds of theft cases over more than 30 + years, call us for a free consultation we are directly across from the Vista Courts.
