Bibb County Georgia Theft Lawyer
If you are charged with a theft crime in Bibb County, then you have come to the right place. We have defended hundreds of theft charges ranging from shoplifting to armed robbery. Bibb County has no shortage of these cases, and we are often called to assist in defending these theft allegations.
Your specific charge will depend on the what was taken, the value of the property, and the manner in which it was taken. This may be obvious, but you cannot steal property which belongs to you. So one basic defense is that you had a lawful right to obtain the property.
The proximity of the property owner is also an important factor to consider. Robbery involves taking property from the immediate presence of the property owner which carries higher penalties than theft alone. If there is no dispute that property was illegally taken, then theft may be an appropriate reduction from robbery that will minimize the penalties associated with a plea or conviction.
The value of the property taken is also important. For most offenses, if the value of the property is less than $500 then you are looking at a misdemeanor. However, there is no misdemeanor robbery no matter what was taken, and prosecutors can add together the value of property to reach the $500 threshold if the property was taken in a string of thefts that can establish the same person committed the crimes in a very short period of time.
The place of the theft is also important in determining whether you can be charged and with what specific offense. If you break into someone’s home to commit a theft or robbery, then you can expect an additional charge for burglary.
Common forms of theft are theft by deception and theft by taking. The difference being the manner in which the theft occurred. One common example of theft by deception is when a contractor takes money for a job but doesn’t complete the work.
A theft is complete at the moment the person has the intent to retain the money without performing the services. Obviously, that moment can be tough to identify and is just one defense to some of these charges.
If you are charged with a theft crime in Bibb County, call our office today at 404-581-0999 for your free consultation.
