What do you do if you or a loved one has been arrested for a theft or shoplifting? Because of the substantial consequences in any theft case, your first step is to contact trusted and experienced Los Angeles Theft Attorney Gregory Caplan to determine if your case may qualify for an early intervention option, such as APPS.
Court alternatives, such as City Attorney Diversion, are generally considered well before the first court date, soon after a theft arrest, as you can learn in his resources at: 5 Things You Need to Know About Your Theft Case.
Mr. Caplan focuses substantial efforts on 1st-time shoplifting and petty theft cases, and makes extraordinary efforts to steer cases away from court, whenever possible, and into alternatives such as "City Attorney Diversion" and Alternative Prosecution Program (APPS). These programs allow for dismissals of theft charges, as you can see in his video at: Los Angeles Theft Attorney.
You can read about more than 20 recent creative theft case resolutions, here, on his Case Results Page, and see what his clients have to say about his substantial efforts on their behalf, at:
Law Offices of Gregory Caplan.
Contact Los Angeles Theft Attorney Gregory Caplan, today, and find out what theft case strategies may be effective for you at 213-400-5355.
Common Los Angeles Theft Charges
Some of the most frequently occurring types of theft cases are:
Under law, theft is the unlawful taking of someone else's property with the intent of keeping it permanently. Embezzlement and larceny also fall into the category of theft. Theft crimes are divided into two categories based upon the amount of money or value of the property stolen:
Grand Theft in California is generally theft in an amount of more than $950. A theft above the $950 amount may be filed as either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on a person's criminal history, circumstances of the case, as well as prosecuting agencies internal filing policies If convicted of grand theft, a person can face up to three years in custody. If the amount of theft is over $50,000, a person faces enhancements of one to two additional years in prison. These factors make it especially important to have a Los Angeles Theft Attorney.
A Petty Theft is generally theft in an amount of $950 or less. If a person has no criminal history, a Los Angeles petty theft is charged as a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor petty theft conviction can result in six months jail time and fines of $1,000 plus penalty assessment and fees. Under recent California law, if a person has been convicted of three prior petty theft violations, and is charged with a fourth violation, the fourth violation can be charged as a felony.
Many prosecuting agencies in Los Angeles County offer a first-time offender program for shoplifting cases if a person has no previous record and if the value is less than $100. These programs are not highly publicized, and many of these options must be requested immediately after a person is arrested, prior to a case being filed in court.
If a case has been filed in Los Angeles, some prosecuting agencies may be willing to offer an infraction theft charge, Penal Code section 490.1, if the item taken was valued at $50 or less. An infraction conviction may still present problems to a person in the future, so it is important that anyone accused of theft be represented by a Petty Theft Attorney in Los Angeles.
Burglary is often charged in Shoplifting and Petty Theft-related cases. Burglary is when a person enters any structure, including a store, intending to steal. There is no minimum dollar amount required for this type of violation, and law enforcement officers are authorized to make felony arrests in burglary cases. While burglary arrests are initiated at felony level, an effective theft attorney will request the District Attorney or City Prosecutor to consider less-serious misdemeanors or other alternatives. Because these charges can be filed as either felonies or misdemeanors, it is extremely important to have representation if you or a loved one is arrested for this violation.
LOS ANGELES THEFT ATTORNEY
If you have been accused of theft, you need the trusted and experienced Los Angeles Theft Attorney who understands effective and innovative approaches. The one who emphasizes creative resolutions for his clients in theft cases, and provides personal attention for his clients. That attorney is Gregory Caplan.
Gregory Caplan understands how a theft case, such as shoplifting, can have long-term consequences, such as a bar to future employment, and significant negative immigration consequences for non-citizens. He works tirelessly for clients with theft cases, focusing on all available alternatives.
Contact him, now, at 213-400-5355, to find out about available strategies for your Los Angeles theft case.
If your case is in the SFV, see Mr. Caplan's resources at: San Fernando Valley Shoplifting Attorney and
Burbank Shoplifting Attorney.