Shoplifting

Shoplifting is one of the most common larceny charges a person can be charged with. Although it is still serious, we see this charge very often at Tilem & Associates and are confident in our ability to navigate within the court in order to receive the best possible outcome for you. Shoplifting will be charged as either petit larceny or larceny depending on the amount of the items that were stolen. It also important to know that apart from the criminal charges of larceny, the person or place the items were stolen from is able to bring charges for a civil suit for the cost of the items that were stolen.

If the amount stolen is less than $1,000, the charge will be for petit larceny which is a class A misdemeanor. This charge, if not handled correctly, can lead to a year in jail and an extensive fine of up to $1,000.We have handled multiple cases where the defendant was charged with petit larceny in a shoplifting scenario and have been extremely successful in handling the charges to make sure the best possible outcome is obtained for the person charged.

Once the amount stolen is over $1,000, the charges become exponentially more serious, moving from being a misdemeanor to a felony. That also brings the maximum sentence to anywhere from 4 years in prison to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $5,000 or double the gain the person who stole the merchandise made. The lowest felony charge is grand larceny in the fourth, a class E felony in which the maximum sentence is 4 years in prison. This charge applies when the amount stolen is between $1,000 and $3,000, but our team of experienced New York criminal attorneys can help you navigate these waters.

If the amount stolen is between $3,000 and $5,000, the charges move from class E felony to a class D. This brings the maximum sentence to 7 years in prison, which if the charges are not handled properly can be the outcome. Once the amount stolen is between $50,000 and $1 million, the charge becomes a class C felony and multiples the sentence to up to 15 years in prison.

Most charges that result from shoplifting are less than $5,000, which means if you’re charge you would be in the lower three categories discussed above. At Tilem & Associates, our experienced team of New York criminal attorneys have handled these charges many times over the years as defense attorneys and have been increasingly successful in working with the Prosecutor’s office the have the charges reduced as much as possible so that no jail time is served. Call us today to discuss your options and how our team can start working for you today to have these charges taken care of and mitigated in the way to get the best possible outcome. Our experience and legal team will handle the charges from start to finish by working with their experience and cooperation from our clients.