Georgia Theft
Theft is an umbrella term and many crimes can fall underneath it such as larceny, burglary, fraud, robbery and others. Wherever the theft occurred and no matter how it was taken, theft is a serious crime in Georgia, so if you have been charged with theft you must contact a Georgia theft lawyer right away.
It’s important to keep in mind that theft is only one aspect of a criminal charge that usually involves more than one type of criminal offense. For example, you cannot be charged with burglary without being charged with theft.
The penalties for theft
Just like any other area of law it depends on the facts that surround your case. For example, if you were caught shoplifting and stole a pack of gum they probably won’t lock you up and throw away the key – you would only be charged with petty theft, which is still a serious crime. However, there are aggravating circumstances that could have made this case worse such as robbing the store clerk with a weapon to get that pack of gum. Another aggravating circumstance that would make the theft charge against you even worse was if you stole a large amount of money or took goods that were worth a lot. This is known as grand theft. Your attorney will be able to tell you whether or not you could be charged with grand theft.
Obviously the penalties for a grand theft conviction will be more severe than a petty theft conviction. But you could expect to face jail time, probation, community service and expensive fines. If you were charged with a felony, you can expect to spend at least one year in jail.
Theft does not have to always involve the taking of property. In fact, you’ve probably heard of identify theft, which is sweeping the nation. In identity theft cases sometimes a person’s social security number, name and other self-identifying information is stolen and used by someone else. Imagine footing the bill for purchases you didn’t make all because someone is claiming to be you.
No matter what type of theft your case involves, please speak to a qualified theft attorney immediately.
