Greenwich Theft Lawyer

In Connecticut, theft is also known as larceny or shoplifting. The critical element to justify any theft arrest is that a person takes another person’s property or services with the intent to permanently deprive them of the property.

There are separate degrees of larceny and shoplifting based on the value of the goods or services. It could be a felony, such as larceny in the first, second or third degrees, or a misdemeanor such as larceny in the fourth, fifth, or sixth degrees.

When a person is arrested for shoplifting, they are usually charged with larceny. The degree of which depends on the value of the items taken. No matter the severity of the charge, an individual should not wait before contacting a Greenwich theft lawyer to mount a defense to help minimize or dismiss any penalties associated with the charge.

Elements of the Charge

The most important issue in a larceny arrest is whether the person arrested possessed the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the property of that item, e.g., did they borrow the item, were they merely looking at the item, or did they accidently take the item out of the store.

If there was no intent to permanently deprive the owner of the property, then an individual may be able to get their charge dismissed using an experienced Greenwich theft attorney.

What is Burglary?

Burglary offenses often include the illegal entrance to another person’s residence, business, premises, or private property without permission, and with the intent to commit an underlying crime. A burglary offense is also any scenario where someone has broken into a home, garage, or car.

Teenagers are most commonly arrested for breaking into garage houses, carriage houses, and farmhouses that are on people’s estates but not attached to the main home.

An arrest for home invasion in Connecticut is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten-year jail sentence. It would be imperative for the defendant not to go to court on a home invasion charge without being accompanied by a Greenwich lawyer who understands who to handle theft cases.

Burglary vs. Trespassing

The difference between burglary and trespassing is that burglary is more serious and is usually a felony charge; trespassing can be an infraction, equivalent to a speeding ticket. Your attorney could try and seek a reduction of the burglary charge to a trespass infraction.

Aggravating factors are if a person charged with burglary has a knapsack or tools. In this regard, the person could be charged with a separate crime of possession of burglar’s tools.

What Are The Potential Penalties For Theft?

A misdemeanor theft arrest can result in punishment of up to one year in jail. A felony larceny, or shoplifting charge, could result in more than a year in jail.

To combat such severe penalties, an individual should not hesitate before contacting a knowledgeable Greenwich attorney to gather all the necessary evidence to build an effective theft defense.

Preserving Evidence

The primary reason to hire a theft attorney in Greenwich is that the lawyer can file motions to preserve evidence, such as digital and/or video surveillance evidence, on the first court date. This strategy can be tricky, however, as sometimes surveillance recordings may not be favorable to the client.

A seasoned lawyer can also mediate or work out a deal with the alleged victim of the theft to have them reimbursed for their financial loss and in turn prevent the defendant from having a criminal record.

Work With a Greenwich Theft Attorney

All Connecticut theft, larceny, and shoplifting arrests must report to Stamford Superior Court. The Stamford prosecutor may pressure an individual to enter a plea in exchange for a small fine. In this case, a person charged with theft would only have to make one court appearance and have the case settled, which may sound appealing, but the person being charged with the crime will have a permanent criminal record for larceny.

This could leave the individual unemployable, especially if the person wants to work in business, finance, or in a new profession. Larceny is a crime of dishonesty and moral turpitude, and employers do not want to hire those individuals. That is why an individual should contact a Greenwich theft lawyer to assist them in obtaining the best possible outcome.