If you were caught taking the personal property of another individual or entity via fraud or stealth and with the intention of depriving the other person or entity of said property, the state may charge you with theft or shoplifting, depending on from whom or what you stole. Oklahoma does not treat theft charges lightly, and if convicted, you face up to $5,000 in fines and five years in prison. An aggressive Oklahoma City theft and shoplifting attorney can help you fight to have the charges either dropped or reduced. Do not wait until the prosecution has nearly had you convicted. Contact our law firm as soon after your arrest as possible so you can begin building your defense.
Theft Charges in Oklahoma
Oklahoma classifies theft and shoplifting in several different ways. How a crime is classified all depends on how much property a person stole and via what means. Below is a brief breakdown of the theft charges in OK:
- Petit Theft: If you stole property that has a value of less than $500, the state may charge you with petit theft, which is punishable by a fine of not more than $500 and a jail sentence of up to six months;
- Grand Theft: Grand theft refers to the theft of property with a value of more than $500 or the theft of property from another robbery case, and is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines;
- Robbery and Armed Robbery: Robbery refers to the taking of someone else’s property by fear or force and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison;
- Conjoint Robbery: Conjoint robbery is robbery committed by two people and is punishable by up to 50 years in prison;
- Burglary: Burglary refers to the breaking and entering of a building with the intent to commit a crime of theft or even a felony, and it is punishable by anywhere between two and seven years in prison; and
- Shoplifting: Shoplifting carries the same penalties as petit theft, but the limit is higher. A person may be guilty of shoplifting and not grand theft if the value of the property lifted is less than $1,000.
As you can see, Oklahoma does not treat theft of any degree lightly. Even if you steal a bag of Skittles from your local gas station, you face up to $500 in fines and six months in county jail, all for a $0.99 bag of candy. If a person or entity chooses to follow through with theft charges, your future is at stake. Do not just sit back and hope that the charges will go away because chances are, they will not. Instead, take your future into your own hands and contact an Oklahoma City theft and shoplifting lawyer right away.
Our Team Is Here To Assist You Every Step Of The Way.
SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYHow the Right Attorney can Help
When it comes down to it, the jury is the one to decide your fate. If you were caught stealing red-handed, your best chance at getting your charges dropped or reduced is to show the jury you are not a bad person at heart. You are only human, you made a mistake, and you realize that. An experienced Oklahoma City theft and shoplifting attorney can help paint that picture of you and entice sympathy from jurors.
If you were charged with a crime you did not commit, you still need an attorney. The right lawyer can investigate the circumstances surrounding the theft and leading up to your arrest, gather the appropriate evidence, and work to prove your innocence.
Whatever the situation, if you were charged with theft or shoplifting of any kind, do not sit back and hope the charges will disappear. Contact Boettcher, Devinney, Ingle & Wicker to schedule your consultation today.
