19th Jan 2010
A Guide To Theft Charge Lingo And Associative Penalties
Theft charge is a serious crime that might describe a white-collar employee embezzling funds or even the kid next door stealing candy from the grocery store. On all rungs of the hierarchy, there are serious penalties that could result in jail time, heavy fines, and a reputation left in ruins.
Theft charge in its simplest form might be a young child shoplifting or an employee giving discounts to friends while being employed at a business. These types of crimes are usually petty in nature, and result in probation or fines. If one’s record is clean before committing the crime, odds are they will likely not serve a jail sentence as a result of their actions.
The act of embezzling is the same principle as shoplifting, only it is done as an employee working for a certain business. If an employee knowingly manipulates the business and its accounts to steal money, or otherwise benefit from funds, embezzling charges will be brought about. Such charges are a serious matter and can result in jail time.
We have all gone through a relationship that turned sour. If you happened to have done so, and had the other party involved take items that did not belong to them, you might bring charges of larceny up. Larceny is the act of removing an object from a location to another without the permission of the owner. It might be a vehicle, or something smaller such as a television game system. Larceny also includes burglaries, and is often coupled with other crimes such as a violent act or even arson.
Identity theft is the new buzz in theft charges. Claiming to be another person and extorting their bank account, credit cards, and social security number is a very serious crime. If caught and convicted, one can face a long jail sentence and be forced to satisfy all debts incurred. One’s credit history may also be edited to reflect any changes that came about based upon the illegal activity, as ordered by the appointed judge.
Fraud, when paired with theft charge, can be one of the most difficult cases to defend against. Fraud might include investment schemes, manipulating insurance and credit card companies, or trying to trick others into providing money for a service with no merit. Because each of these examples may be subject to opinion, they can also be of the easiest to circumvent in court if you have a trusty lawyer by your side.
Final Thoughts
From the lowly shoplifting crime to the big case of fraud, there are penalties to match every type of theft charge. The best thing to do is to consult an experienced law firm that can get a team of professionals on your case. When you are gambling with jail time, and a criminal record, losing could be a powerful blow.
Learn more about Hiring the Right Criminal Defense Attorney and Types of Theft Charges.
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