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Newport Beach is an attractive area for theft due to the high-end shopping and many luxury items found in the area’s stores and malls. Petty theft, which is theft of items worth less than $950, includes shoplifting. If you have been accused of petty theft or shoplifting, the Newport Beach theft attorney at the Johnson Criminal Law Group has experience in helping clients get the best outcome from this kind of charge.
Petty theft is dealt with in two sections of the California Penal Code- sections 484 and 488. There are two requirements the prosecutor has to prove under these sections: that the defendant committed theft--taking something that belongs to another--and the value of that taken property is less than $950. Usual penalties for petty theft are a $1000 fine, up to three years of probation, and/ or six months incarceration in a county jail. While many see shoplifting and petty theft as non-serious offenses, something maybe rebellious teenagers do, the penalties are serious and depending on the circumstances, may include jail time. Three months may not sound so long in theory, but three months in jail can feel like an eternity. Penal Code section 666 provides for even harsher penalties for repeat petty theft offenders, including years in a state penitentiary.
There are defenses to petty theft, and also arguments for the defendant’s innocence. The Johnson Criminal Law Group’s Newport Beach theft attorney believes in the best possible advocacy and defense for all clients, whatever the circumstance. Anyone accused of petty theft, including shoplifting, in Newport Beach can contact the Law Office by phone at (949) 622-5522 or through an online message for an initial consultation.