Petty Theft

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For more than 30 years, the Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf have been defending clients accused of serious theft related crimes, including petty theft and grand theft. It is our goal to get our clients’ charges dismissed, sentences reduced, or alternative sentences. If you have been arrested in California for a petty theft crime, please contact a Los Angeles petty theft defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today to discuss your case.

Petty theft is a situation in which a person intentionally steals the property or belongings of another, with the total monetary value of the stolen goods equaling less than $400. In most cases, petty theft is considered a misdemeanor and is punishable with a jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of no more than $1,000.

Under certain circumstances, a petty theft may result in an infraction, which is penalized by a monetary fine and does not require the defendant to serve jail time. For example, California Penal Code Section 490.1 (a) states that “Petty theft, where the value of the money, labor, real or personal property taken is of a value which does not exceed fifty dollars ($50), may be charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the discretion of the prosecutor, provided that the person charged with the offense has no other theft or theft-related conviction.”

In severe cases, a person who has been accused of petty theft may face felony charges. For instance, a second petty theft conviction may result in a twelve month jail or prison sentence and possibly a felony conviction.

Any accusation of theft, whether it is petty theft or grand theft, must be taken extremely seriously. If you are facing theft charges you should hire a skilled and aggressive California defense lawyerright away. At the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf, we will use our legal knowledge and skills to create a defense specifically for you in an effort to keep you out of jail or have your charges reduced.

If you are facing petty theft charges in California, you should contact a Los Angeles theft attorney at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf to discuss your theft case. Our experienced lawyers have the skills and knowledge to successfully represent a variety of theft crime cases.

Additional Information on Theft Crimes in Los Angeles: