Last updated March 12, 2010
Theft/Larceny
Theft and larceny are commonly confused with burglary and robbery, however all four of these crimes are different. First, theft and larceny can best be described as taking something from someone else without their express permission. Burglary is trespassing onto someone else’s property for the sole purpose of stealing something, however burglary may involve other crimes in addition to theft or larceny. Usually in a burglary, the home or business owner is not present and there is no violence committed against a person. Robbery involves the act of committing violence against a person in the act of a theft. If there were a victim who was held at gunpoint, then the charge would be armed robbery, not theft or larceny.
Theft and larceny are usually described as either petty or grand. Petty theft denotes that the item stolen was of less value and grand theft/larceny indicates that the item stolen was of greater value. Typically items that are worth $500.00 and less are considered petty theft and grand theft is anything worth more than $500.00. Many people tend to think of petty theft as a crime that isn’t very serious, but this isn’t necessarily true. You should ensure that you have legal representation if you’ve been arrested for petty theft.
If you have been charged with either petty or grand theft larceny, it’s important to contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. You should also not make any statements to the police or any other person until you have spoken to your attorney and he or she is present. Anything that you say may be used against you in court later, so don’t be fooled into thinking that you need to make a statement or answer questions. Contact an attorney as soon as you are arrested and follow their counsel and advice. They will review your case and determine what evidence the state has against you and will create a strategy for your defense.
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