Theft

Theft is defined as the act or an instance of stealing; larceny. In legal terms, larceny is the unlawful taking and carrying away of the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of its use or to appropriate it to the use of the perpetrator or of someone else. The value of the property stolen distinguishes grand larceny, a felony, from petty larceny, which usually a misdemeanor.

While theft and larceny are often used interchangeably, robbery and burglary differ. Robbery is an act of stealing, but force or fear is used to overcome resistance. And, burglary, another form of stealing, involves breaking and entering.

In Florida, the state statutes break down the crime of theft by categories, according to the amount of money or the value of the property stolen. If you are convicted of theft more than once, each subsequent act accumulates stiffer penalties. On a first theft conviction, for example, a driver’s license suspension is optional, however, the law makes driver’s license suspension mandatory for any additional convictions for theft.

The Florida Statutes cover in detail a wide scope of specific stolen items from a will, codicil, or other testamentary instrument, a firearm, a motor vehicle, a boat, medical equipment, law enforcement equipment, citrus fruit, cargo that has entered the stream of interstate commerce, material or equipment taken from a construction site, any commercially farmed animal, including any animal of the equine, bovine, or swine class, or other grazing animal, and including aquaculture species to a stop sign.

Click here to read the 2007 Florida Statues on Theft, Robbery and Related Crimes.

At the Florida Law Firm of Shanna Rose, located in Longwood, we represent clients who are facing criminal charges for all degrees of petit theft and grand theft. Our experience as a former Seminole County prosecutor gives us a thorough understanding from the perspective of the prosecution as well as the defense. As our client, we will carefully explain the charges, and the penalties you face, and work to achieve the best outcome possible.

When you need an experienced criminal attorney to protect your rights, and prepare an aggressive defense on your behalf, call our office at 407-712-7661 to arrange a no cost, no obligation consultation. Or, click here to contact our law firm.