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Charged With Shoplifting In California?

By Walin & Klarich

I AM BEING CHARGED WITH SHOPLIFING, DO I NEED A SHOPLIFING ATTORNEY? Shoplifting is not a crime in California, but a name for a certain kind of theft. Because most people who commit shoplifting steal items worth less than $400, it is usually charged as petty theft and is most likely to be a misdemeanor. In fact, for theft of items worth less than $50, prosecutors may also choose to charge it as an infraction, a category of crime below a misdemeanor. But if you?re charged with a repeat shoplifting offense or you?re charged with stealing goods worth $400 or more, you will likely be charged with felony shoplifting (grand theft or felony petty theft). Shoplifting is one of the most common theft crimes in California. Teenagers testing their boundaries and older folks who simply forget to pay are two groups commonly charged with shoplifting...continue to full post

Full post as published by Southern California Criminal Defense Blog on February 05, 2009 (boomark / email).