Theft Crime Lawyer NYC

Defense Against Shoplifting, Burglary, and Robbery in Queens

Have you been arrested for a theft crime in Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, or Brooklyn? The decisions you make now may have a direct impact on your freedom and entire future. Although theft crimes may be considered relatively minor criminal offenses, they may carry heavy penalties, particularly if violence was allegedly involved. You need to protect your constitutional rights with a New York City theft crime attorney who has the skill to help you avoid maximum penalties and possibly a conviction altogether.

Theft crimes encompass a wide variety of more specific crimes such as burglary, petty theft, embezzlement, fraud, robbery, identity theft, grand theft and many others where a person has knowingly and unlawfully stolen another person's property without consent. These crimes can be violent or non-violent, with non-violent offenses traditionally receiving less severe sentences than those that threaten with physical harm or actually involve physical violence. Some of the most notorious theft crimes, known as white collar crimes, were committed without any violence at all.

What is Petty Theft in New York?

In New York, petty theft is referred to as petit larceny. It is the lowest-level larceny offense in the state and involves the unlawful taking of property valued at $1,000 or less. Petit larceny is classified as a class A misdemeanor and carries potential consequences such as fines, probation, and a maximum jail term of one year. The specific provisions and penalties for petit larceny in New York can be found in New York Penal Law Section 155.25.

Petty Theft vs. Grand Theft in New York

The terms "petty theft" and "grand theft" are actually misnomers, as the New York Penal Code actually defines these types of theft offenses as "petit larceny" and "grand larceny." According to § 155.25 of the codes, petit larceny is simply defined as property theft and can be charged as a class A misdemeanor. All types of theft/larceny that are not classified as grand larceny are petit larceny cases.

There are four degrees of grand larceny defined by the New York Penal Code:

• § 155.30 – Fourth-degree grand larceny, among other conditions, involves property theft valued at $1,000 or more.
• § 155.35 – Third-degree grand larceny, among other conditions, involves property theft valued at $3,000 or more.
• § 155.40 – Second-degree grand larceny, among other conditions, involves property theft valued at $50,000 or more.
• § 155.42 – First-degree grand larceny, among other conditions, involves property theft valued at $1 million or more.

Grand theft is charged as a felony in New York.

Possible Penalties for Theft / Larceny

Penalties for theft crime convictions depends upon a variety of factors. The value of items stolen in the crime is one of the most important factors, as the total value will often help to determine whether the crime is a misdemeanor or a felony, which can impose a significantly longer prison term in addition to very costly fines and compensation in cases where a civil lawsuit has been filed. Additionally, any of these offenses that also involved a threat of violence or the act of violence against a victim in order to render them helpless during the act of theft will increase the charge and thus the concluding penalty as deemed appropriate in court.

Why Retain a New York City Theft Crime Attorney?

Anyone who is charged with a theft crime should immediately speak with a Queens theft crime lawyer, so you do not have to risk going through the legal process without a qualified professional to guide you and protect your rights. Our New York City theft crime lawyers at Musa-Obregon Law PC have in-depth knowledge of the many different charges that exist which are relevant to theft crimes. Their in-depth experience has been gathered from defending clients charged with various offenses of this nature, and they are confident in their ability to organize a case and defend it properly in a court of law. Their dedication and passion for defending the accused is reflected in their success rate for minimized sentences, successful plea bargains and innocent verdicts.

The firm represents clients throughout New York who have been accused of, arrested for or charged with theft crimes of any kind. Led by a former prosecutor, the team has a definite edge when defending clients in court.