New York City Petit Larceny Attorney

Fighting Theft Charges in Scarsdale, Manhattan, Bronx, and Manchester

If you or someone you love has been charged with petit larceny, you should not take the situation lightly. While this is considered to be a "lesser" theft offense, you could still be facing up to one year in jail and a blemish on your criminal record. For this reason, you should not hesitate to discuss your case with a NYC criminal attorney from the Law Offices of Daniel A. Hochheiser as soon as possible.

New York Penal Law § 155.25 – Petit Larceny

In the state of New York, it is a crime to knowingly and intentionally take possession of another person's property. Under the law, "property" can refer to any form of money, personal property, real property, computer data, substance or thing of value, etc. Depending on the value of the property that was stolen, one could either be charged with petit or grand larceny.

Typically, the defendant will be charged with petit larceny if the value of the stolen property did not exceed $1,000. This is not a steadfast rule, as the theft of certain items (i.e. firearms) is usually always charged as grand larceny—even if the property was valued under $1,000. Petit larceny charges usually stem from cases of shoplifting or minor theft, but it is important to realize that no type of theft charge is a small matter.

What are the penalties for misdemeanor theft?

Petit larceny is considered to be a misdemeanor offense in New York. This means that you could be sentenced to a maximum of one year in jail if you were to be convicted. While the penalties for petit theft are considerably less serious than those imposed for grand larceny—which could result in up to 25 years in state prison—a conviction could be much more consequential than you think.

Not only could you be forced to spend a year of your life behind bars, but you may also have difficulty finding employment or maintaining personal relationships in the future. For this reason, you should not hesitate to take preventative measures while there is still time. As soon as you have been arrested, a criminal defense lawyer from the Law Offices of Daniel A. Hochheiser should be by your side.

What if I took something by mistake?

As is common in cases of shoplifting, it may help the defendant's case if they can prove that they did not mean to steal. For example, a store owner may be willing to overlook a case of accidental theft if a parent was unaware of the fact that their child had carried an item out of the store. If video surveillance shows them hiding items in their child's stroller, however, it may be much more difficult for them to prove that they had shoplifted by mistake.

Since each case is different, it is hard to say whether or not you will be shown leniency when stolen property has been discovered in your possession. That being said, it is recommended that you contact a New York City criminal defense attorney as soon as you have been accused of committing a crime. In doing so, you can ensure that you have the best possible chance of fighting your charges.

Call a New York City Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you contact our firm at (800) 813-9069, your initial consultation is free. We are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so there is no reason why you should wait any longer to get started.

Call our office today to learn more about how we can help.