Shoplifting in Connecticut becomes a felony when the value of stolen merchandise is at least $1,000. You may be facing penalties like jail time, fines and restitution. A criminal defense attorney can explain the charge and consequences and help mitigate them.
The most serious degree of larceny is first-degree larceny. This occurs when the amount of property stolen exceeds $10,000. This is a class B felony, meaning that if you are convicted, you face a $15,000 fine and a prison sentence of 1-20 years.
The most serious misdemeanor charge is a Class A misdemeanor. For this level of crime, there is a fine of up to $2,000 and a potential jail sentence of up to a year. According to the newest Connecticut drug laws, possession of a number of drugs will now be classified as Class A misdemeanors.
General Statutes § 53a-122 is the Connecticut statute that defines larceny in the first degree. A person commits this crime by unlawfully taking someone's property or motor vehicle valued at $20,000 or more. If the property that was taken is valued at less than $20,000, a lower degree of larceny will apply.
In Connecticut, shoplifting is defined as removing items from a store without paying for them. It is a simply defined offense that can carry serious penalties. Shoplifting is a form of larceny which means the offender intended to deprive another person or entity of property that has some value. BBB Attorneys could fight for you and help you understand your options if you have been charged with shoplifting. Call our attorneys today to schedule a consultation and get started on your defense.
Shoplifting is simply the taking of property, there is no use of force or threat of use of force. The moment there is the use of force or the threat of force, it turns into an offense far more serious like robbery. Often, an individual alleged to have committed a shoplifting offense is exiting the store and is approached by a security officer. If the person pushes or shoves that officer, the shoplifting turns from a simple theft offense into a much more serious robbery offense.
The degree of larceny depends on the amount that is alleged to have been taken. Connecticut and New Haven have six degrees of larceny, ranging from larceny in the first degree, which is the most serious, to larceny in the sixth degree, the least serious. Each degree of larceny carries the potential of incarceration, probation, and other collateral consequences. Therefore, it is essential for a defendant to reach out to a New Haven shoplifting lawyer.
A shoplifting case can be considered a felony under several circumstances, the most common of which is anytime it involves property in excess of $2,000. Additionally, if an individual has been convicted previously of larcenies, even a misdemeanor larceny, they can be charged with a felony under what is called a persistent-larceny-encounter statute. The two typical scenarios for which a person could be facing felony shoplifting charges are when someone takes a larger sum of property or they have had previous larceny convictions.#N#
To commit larceny is to steal items of value. The act of larceny is defined under Connecticut Penal Law as “ intent to deprive another of property or to … wrongfully take, obtain or withhold such property from an owner .” It could be a shoplifting offense, embezzlement, or even theft of utilities like electricity or cable TV.
For a first offense larceny or shoplifting charge, especially for juvenile charges, it is often possible to get the charge dropped in exchange for restitution and community service, which would prevent you from having a criminal record.
Furthermore, a shoplifting conviction can also result in the defendant being held civilly liable to the store or merchandise owner for damages. This means you could be responsible for paying the full value of the stolen time (if damaged and unsellable), any financial losses suffered by the store owner, and paying the store or merchandise owner’s attorney fees and court costs.
Sixth-degree larceny – If the value of the stolen item is $500 or less, shoplifting is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a jail sentence for up to three months and a maximum $500 fine.
The penalties for shoplifting tend to vary with the value of the items stolen. If you steal items whose total adds up to $500 or less, you will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, where the penalty is anywhere up to 1 year in jail, plus fines and costs.
With shoplifting charges, intent matters very much when your guilt is being weighed. Connecticut law classifies shoplifting as a type of larceny, which falls under the greater umbrella of theft crimes. It is defined as intentionally taking possession of an item or items being offered for sale, without paying the purchase price for the item.
Too often, shoplifting is something done on the spur of the moment or done by those who cannot entirely help themselves. No matter what the reasoning, you have the right to a good defense if you have been charged with shoplifting, and an experienced Stamford shoplifting lawyer like Daniel P. Weiner will work hard to provide one.