Phoenix Theft Crimes Lawyer

Theft Crimes Can Happen in Many Forms

Under Arizona law, theft crimes are serious acts that include stealing, taking or carrying away the personal property of another. People can be charged with a theft crime for obtaining property that doesn’t belong to them in unlawful ways ranging from false pretense to burglary.

If you’ve been charged with theft in Arizona, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. With decades of experience in criminal defense, our Phoenix theft attorneys at JacksonWhite Law represent clients throughout all of Arizona to help navigate harsh charges and build a strong defense in pursuit of the best possible outcome.

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What Is Theft?

According to ARS 13-1802, a person commits theft in Arizona when they knowingly take control of another person’s property by taking it from another person’s possession. This act can include any of the following actions:

1. Control somebody else’s property with the intent to deprive them of the property.
2. Convert somebody else’s services or property when that service or property was entrusted to the defendant for only a limited period.
3. Obtain property or services from another by misrepresentation.
4. Come into control of lost property under circumstances that provide a way to discover the true owner’s identity but make no reasonable effort to do so.
5. Control somebody else’s property, knowing that the property was stolen.
6. Obtain paid services without paying for them.

Theft can take many forms, including everything from petty theft of small amounts of cash to embezzlement of large sums of money from business accounts. The type and severity of the theft will determine the severity of the consequences.

Types of Theft Crimes in Arizona

There are a variety of acts that constitute theft in Arizona that can range from lower-level crimes like shoplifting to white-collar crimes like bad check writing or embezzlement. Each type of theft comes with its own unique penalties depending on the severity of the crime and the value of the assets stolen.

The most common types of theft crimes in Arizona include:

• Petty Theft – Petty theft involves stealing money or property under the value of $1,000.
• Grand Theft – Grand theft is the theft of significant amounts of money or property valued at $1,000 or more.
• Shoplifting – The act of taking property from a store or business without paying for it, which can result in a misdemeanor charge if the value of the goods is below $1,000 or a felony if the value is over $1,000.
• Burglary – An act of theft that involves illegally entering someone else’s property.
• Robbery – An act of theft committed by using weapons or force, which can result in a felony or misdemeanor charge depending on the value of the assets stolen.
• Embezzlement – The theft of property that a person had access to but did not legally own, often involving the theft of business finances or accounts from an employee for their own personal gain and can be a felony or misdemeanor depending on the amount stolen.
• Identity Theft – Stealing another person’s identifying information, like their name, social security number, or credit card information.

As a general rule, the higher the value of the assets stolen, the greater the consequences of the crime. If you have been charged with any form of theft, you should consult a theft attorney as soon as possible to determine the severity. An attorney will help you understand the charges against you and your legal avenues for combatting them.

What Are the Penalties for Theft in Arizona?

Punishments for theft crimes vary depending on the seriousness of the charge and the value of the assets stolen. These penalties are severe and can range anywhere from a few months in jail to years in prison.f

Theft can carry the following penalties in Arizona:

* Those charged with theft crimes on property valuing $100,000 or more are usually ineligible for probation or parole.

The penalties for theft are serious. If you are facing theft charges in Arizona, then it’s crucial you have an attorney to support you in defending against them. Our team of theft crimes attorneys at JacksonWhite Law can help you build a defense strategy in search of reduced charges.

Why Hire a Phoenix Theft Crimes Lawyer?

If you walk into a courtroom against an experienced prosecution team alone, you are already at a disadvantage. An attorney provides you with valuable guidance and support in navigating the legal system and combatting charges from a ruthless prosecution seeking to impose the harshest penalties.

At JacksonWhite, our theft attorneys have represented countless defendants in theft cases, assisting them in receiving a more positive outcome for their case. This experience gives us a unique perspective in navigating Arizona law to seek reduced charges for our clients.

Working with our theft lawyers will offer the following benefits:

• Knowledge of Arizona Law – Our team has a deep understanding of Arizona law, allowing us to understand the best legal avenue for your defense.
• Thorough Investigation – We will conduct a detailed investigation of the circumstances of your case, gathering witness testimony and reviewing police reports to ensure we understand all the facts.
• Protection of Rights – Our attorneys will ensure you understand your rights and advocate for you throughout each step of the legal process to prevent you from being taken advantage of by the prosecution.
• Skilled Negotiation – We have experience negotiating with strong prosecution teams to seek a favorable plea deal and advocate for reduced charges.
• Aggressive Representation – Our theft lawyers represent you in all hearings and in trial to advocate for you and build the strongest possible defense.
• Experience in Cases – We have experience in a variety of theft cases, allowing us to apply this knowledge to your case and craft the best possible defense strategy.

Hiring a Phoenix theft crimes lawyer offers many benefits, especially compared to facing theft charges alone. When you work with our attorneys at JacksonWhite, we will act as your partner throughout your entire case to provide you with not only legal guidance but also peace of mind.

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How We Handle Theft Crime Cases

At JacksonWhite Law, our criminal defense attorneys take a mindful, personalized approach to every case. We’ll begin your case by offering you a free initial case review, allowing us to understand the circumstances around your charges and begin strategizing the best possible defense.

After gathering the crucial details around your case, we’ll take the following steps:

• Custom Defense Strategy – We’ll use our understanding of your case to build a personalized defense strategy that increases your chances of avoiding harsh charges.
• Evidence Collection – We will collect and examine evidence around your case, interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports and more to understand what legal avenues are available to you.
• Pre-Trial Motions – If necessary, we will look out for any pre-trial motions we can make to challenge the legitimacy of evidence and seek reduced or dismissed charges.
• Plea Negotiations – Our attorneys carry out negotiations with the prosecution team to seek a favorable plea deal that can bring reduced charges or avoid harsher penalties.
• Trial Preparation – We will help you prepare for trial by covering what you should know and expect from the legal process.
• Court Representation – We will represent you in court to present your defense before the judge and advocate for the dismissal of your charges.

All together, we maintain a detailed process for supporting every client in their case. We’ll prioritize listening to you and working to understand your case so that we can advocate for you in front of the prosecution and the judge the best we can. Our theft crimes attorneys will use their experience to explore every possible legal avenue in search of reduced or possibly even dropped charges.

Potential Defense Strategies

If you are facing theft charges, it’s crucial that you have a strong defense to increase your chances of avoiding the harshest penalties under the law. The best defense depends on the unique facts surrounding your case, and the right attorney will know how to build a strategy with the greatest chances of success.

At JacksonWhite Law, we have supported countless clients in building a rigid defense against theft charges. We may be able to support you in crafting some of the following defense strategies:

• Lack of Intent – If you did not intend to obtain or possess someone else’s property, we can use this in your defense to seek reduced or dropped charges.
• Consent – If a defendant had received consent to obtain or possess the property, we will argue for dropped charges.
• Insufficient Evidence – The prosecution must prove without a reasonable doubt that you committed the theft, but if their evidence is shaky or insufficient, we may be able to pursue a not guilty verdict.
• False Accusations – In cases where a defendant did not commit the crime and was falsely accused, we will perform our own investigation to prove the accusations wrong.
• Alibi – If you were elsewhere when the crime occurred, we can gather evidence of this and use it in your defense.
• Legal Ownership – If you had a legal right to possess or take the property, we can use this argument in your favor to get your charges dropped or reduced.

The best defense strategy will depend on the details of your unique case and the potential legal avenues available to you. To determine the best defense for your case, you should contact a skilled theft attorney who has experience in defending clients in Phoenix and throughout Arizona, like our team here at JacksonWhite Law.

Possible Outcomes for Your Case

If you’ve been charged with theft in Arizona, there are several outcomes that you may receive, ranging from a conviction to a full dismissal of charges. Working with an attorney may increase your chances of a positive outcome and help you minimize the harsh penalties you may face.

Our attorneys at JacksonWhite will use our experience to build a case that advocates for reduced or dropped charges. During an initial case review, we’ll determine the outcomes that may be available to you and develop a strategy with the greatest chance of success.

We may be able to support you in promoting some of the following potential outcomes:

• Reduced Charges – We may be able to negotiate with the prosecution team for lesser charges, like getting your charges dropped from grand theft to petty theft.
• Dismissal of Charges – With a strong enough defense that can exploit holes in the prosecution’s case.
• Minimized Sentences – In cases where a conviction may not be avoidable, we’ll seek reduced penalties or sentencing, such as probation or restitution to the alleged victim.
• Plea Deal Advantages – By negotiating with the prosecution, we’ll seek a plea deal that can potentially offer reduced charges.
• Avoiding Trial – In some cases, our attorneys can seek a resolution through negotiation or pre-trial motions to avoid a court trial entirely.
• Expungement – If you have already been convicted of theft, our attorneys can help you explore your opportunities for expungement to get your charges erased from your record.

The available potential outcomes depend on the unique circumstances of your case. A theft attorney will review the facts of your case to help you understand your options and the avenues available to potentially avoid the harshest penalties and protect your reputation.

Our Experience Defending Against Theft Charges

At JacksonWhite Law, we have decades of experience in criminal defense, and that includes pushing back against theft charges. In that time, we have supported countless clients in navigating the legal system. In cases of theft or burglary, we have helped our clients achieve both reduced and dropped charges in a variety of circumstances.

For example, in a case of felony juvenile theft, our theft lawyers were able to get charges reduced and help our client face probation and restitution instead of time in jail. This is just one example of the positive results we can achieve for our clients. During a free initial case review, we’ll help you understand your available options and outline what steps we may be able to take to support you.

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Don’t Let Theft Charges Derail Your Future

Theft is a serious crime in Arizona and can come with harsh penalties ranging from several months in jail to years in prison. If you have been charged with theft, it’s

crucial that you seek the support of a Phoenix theft lawyer as soon as possible.

As experienced Phoenix theft crime attorneys, our criminal law team, led by Jeremy S. Geigle, has defended countless facing theft crime charges throughout Arizona. Our attorneys fight for their clients’ constitutional rights, including search and seizure issues, evidentiary matters and Miranda rights issues. By making sure that prosecutors are held to their burden of proof, our attorneys ensure the best possible outcome for our clients facing theft charges.

Call the JacksonWhite Criminal Law team at (480) 467-4370 to discuss your case today.