Shoplifting

Being arrested for shoplifting is an embarrassing experience. You have to answer to your friends, family, and to the community when you are forced to stand up in court and explain your actions. The experienced Miami shoplifting attorneys at The Cochran Firm South Florida are ready to defend you. We understand the motivations that can lead one to steal, along with the misunderstandings that can occur, and we also know that people make mistakes. When you contact our shoplifting lawyers to represent you, we will work hard to build a confident defense and seek a resolution that protects your reputation.

Shoplifting Laws in Florida

Florida shoplifting laws are designed to guard store owners from lost merchandise. How a shoplifting crime is prosecuted will depend on the amount of the items taken. The two categories of theft are Petit Theft (a misdemeanor) and Grand Theft (a felony).

• If the amount is $100 or less, the offender will most likely be charged with second-degree Petit Theft.
• If the amount is between $100 and $300, it is a first-degree Petit Theft charge.
• Theft involving an amount of $300 – $5000 warrants a charge of Grand Theft in the third degree, a charge that can carry with it up to five years in prison.
• First degree Grand Theft, the charge for stealing more than $100, 000, can involve up to thirty years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Preserving Your Reputation, Protecting Your Rights

Although the law sets forth maximum punishments for each type of shoplifting charge, there is flexibility to seek reduced charges and lesser punishments based on the circumstances surrounding the arrest. For example, our shoplifting lawyers may help a shoplifting client reduce a first-degree charge to a second-degree one. In previous cases, our attorneys have been able to have charges dismissed entirely due to weak evidence. In cases of juvenile crimes, we are often able to seek rehabilitative measures in lieu of harsh penalties.

The majority of our clients are first-time offenders who need to know what their rights are, and how to best exercise them. If you would like to talk to our shoplifting attorneys in Miami, Fort Myers, or Ft Lauderdale about shoplifting or other theft charges, we offer confidential consultations and immediate answers.

If you or a member of your family is facing shoplifting charges, The Cochran Firm South Florida would be honored to represent you. Our Miami shoplifting lawyers have helped countless clients achieve reduced or dropped charges after a theft arrest. Please call or e-mail us to schedule a free consultation.