{"id":15310,"date":"2019-01-31T12:27:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T19:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/?page_id=15310"},"modified":"2023-02-16T13:55:02","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T20:55:02","slug":"arizona-shoplifting-limitations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/blog\/arizona-shoplifting-limitations\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Get In Trouble For Shoplifting In Arizona Years After The Incident?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Shoplifting is a form of theft, which can be a misdemeanor<\/a> or a felony<\/a> depending on the value of the stolen property. In Arizona, the statute of limitations is 1 year for misdemeanor theft and 7 years for felony theft. Considering that most shoplifting cases are classified as a misdemeanor, that means you can face charges for shoplifting up to 1 year after committing the crime.<\/p>\n

Misdemeanor vs. Felony Theft<\/h3>\n

ARS 13-02<\/a> specifically identifies 6 situations that may result in charges of theft:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Knowingly committing fraud<\/a> as a means to obtain another party\u2019s property or services<\/li>\n
  2. Knowingly obtaining compensable goods or services without payment<\/li>\n
  3. Knowingly possessing another party\u2019s property with the intent to deprive them of their property<\/li>\n
  4. Knowingly possessing lost property without making a reasonable attempt to locate the owner<\/li>\n
  5. Knowingly possessing stolen property<\/li>\n
  6. Knowingly using another party\u2019s property or services for an unauthorized period of time<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In most cases, the difference between misdemeanor and felony theft is the dollar value of the stolen property or services<\/a>. Generally speaking, cases with $1,000 or less in stolen property are classified as a misdemeanor, while cases with more than $1,000 in stolen goods are classified as a felony.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    That said, there are exceptions to the dollar-value rule. For example, when the stolen item is a firearm or an animal, the crime qualifies for a felony charge regardless of the dollar value. The presence of other accompanying charges such as assault and battery can also impact the classification and severity of the charges.<\/p>\n

    Penalties For Shoplifting in Arizona<\/h2>\n

    Arizona law provides six criminal classifications for theft:<\/p>\n