{"id":4581,"date":"2023-04-13T07:09:47","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T11:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dualawfirm.com\/?page_id=4581"},"modified":"2023-05-02T16:06:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T20:06:57","slug":"petit-thef-shoplifting","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dualawfirm.com\/services\/petit-thef-shoplifting\/","title":{"rendered":"Petit Thef\/Shoplifting"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Fairfax Petit Larceny \/ Shoplifting Defense Lawyer<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Being charged with shoplifting may sound like a relatively mundane or minor offense. However, if you are convicted, it means you will be left with a criminal record.<\/strong> This record, even for a minor offense, carries significant ramifications on your personal reputation and options in the future regarding employment, education, housing, and so forth. Being charged with shoplifting in Fairfax County can create a personal and financial burden that extends beyond the possible jail time associated with a conviction.\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>
If you or a family member was detained for shoplifting or have been charged with petit larceny in Fairfax County, retaining effective and experienced legal counsel is extremely important.<\/strong> An aggressive and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney can assist you in exploring defense options for beating the charge or, at the very least, minimizing the potential impact on your life going forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>

Overview of Shoplifting Laws in Fairfax County<\/strong><\/h3>
According to Virginia case law and Virginia Code \u00a7 18.2-96<\/span><\/a>, petit larceny is defined as any person who takes goods of another, without their consent, with the intent to permanent to permanently deprive the owner of possession of the goods.<\/span><\/h6>
According to Virginia Code \u00a7 18.2-103<\/span><\/a>, shoplifting is defined as \u201cwhoever, without authority, with the intention of converting goods or merchandise to his own or another\u2019s use without having paid the full price thereof, or of defrauding the owner of the value of the goods or merchandise:<\/span><\/h6>

(i) willfully conceals or takes possession of the goods or merchandise of any store or mercantile establishment.<\/span><\/p>

(ii) alters the price tag or other price marking on such goods or merchandise, or transfers the goods from one container to another.<\/span><\/p>

(iii) counsels, assists, aids, or abets another in the performance of any of the above acts, when the value of the goods or merchandise involved in the offense is less than $500, shall be guilty of petit larceny and, when the value of the goods or merchandise involved in the offense is $500 or more, shall be guilty of grand larceny.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Shoplifting and Petit Larceny<\/b><\/h3>
The legal term \u201cPetit larceny\u201d encompasses many different things, including shoplifting.\u00a0<\/strong> There are two relevant state statutes to be aware of when it comes to being charged with alleged larceny: (i) taking cash or property valued at less than $5 from a person and (ii) taking cash or property valued at less than $500 not from a person.<\/span><\/h6>
The phrase \u201cfrom a person\u201d means you allegedly took something that\u2019s on another person\u2019s body or in their physical possession or immediate control. For example, grabbing a wallet out of a person\u2019s hand or snatching a purse from someone\u2019s shoulder would be considered theft from a person.<\/span><\/h6>
The phrase \u201cnot from a person\u201d means an indirect type of theft allegedly occurred. If, for example, the person\u2019s wallet is inside a locker at a gym and you are alleged to have taken it while the person was working out or taking a shower, the wallet is not in their physical possession or immediate control.<\/span><\/h6>

How to Fight Petit Larceny Charges\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>
In order to be convicted of allegedly committing larceny, a Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney has to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the following legal elements: <\/strong><\/h6>