Houston Theft and Shoplifting Attorneys
Theft charges happen to people from all areas of life. They can be one of the most damaging crimes for your future employment. Businesses rarely select candidates that have reportable theft convictions. Brian Foley and Luis Baez have worked on thousands of theft and shoplifting charges and will fight to protect your record. Here's what you need to know about theft charges immediately:​
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Theft charges enhance to higher punishment ranges. This means that if you get one conviction for theft then future convictions can result in up to 2 years in a State Jail Facility.
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If your case is dismissed and expunged then you can report to new employers that you have never been convicted or arrested for that offense.
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Theft
Most theft charges that result in arrest are between $100 and $750. This makes them Class B offenses punishable by up to 180 days in jail and up to a $2000 fine. These offenses are often shoplifting through concealing items on yourself or by skipping items from being scanned and paying a partial amount using a self-checkout line. Theft is when "A person . . . unlawfully appropriates property with intent to deprive the owner of property." Appropriate means to acquire or otherwise exercise control over property. Deprive means to withhold property from the owner permanently or for so extended a period of time that a major portion of the value or enjoyment of the property is lost to the owner. ​ Owner means a person with a greater right to possession of the property than the person who is charged with theft. We offer free consultations so don't wait. Call now!
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Shoplifting
Texas does not have a specialized shoplifting law. All shoplifting charges in Texas are prosecuted under the Theft Statute in Chapter 31 of the Texas Penal Code. Many times the Shoplifting cases have video evidence from security cameras found in the store. Even if your case was caught on video you may still be able to get your case dismissed. Texas law gives the prosecution wide discretion to file or dismiss charges regardless of the strength of the evidence. Houston Criminal Defense Attorneys PLLC knows how to obtain these results for our clients.
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Theft Punishment Ranges
Did you know this about Theft?
Prosecutor Discretion
As former prosecutors themselves Luis Baez and Brian Foley understand how to make the District Attorney's Office see the circumstances which led to a theft charge against an otherwise law abiding citizen.