Under California Penal Code 484(a), PC, petty theft is described as unlawfully taking or stealing another person's property when the value is $950.00 or less.
The petty theft crime is always a misdemeanor punishable by fines, probation, victim restitution, and up to 6 months in county jail. If the value of the stolen property is greater than $950.00, then the more severe crime of Penal Code 487 PC grand theft could be charged.
In other words, the difference between petty theft and grand theft is the value of the property that was taken. Petty theft with prior is covered under California Penal Code Section 666. Under this statute, a minor misdemeanor crime of petty theft could be elevated to a felony crime and incarceration in state prison.
Simply put, Penal Code 666 PC petty theft with prior targets repeat offenders. It means you committed a petty theft crime, and already have one has on your record.
For example, a conviction for a theft crime, with jail time, and a conviction for other theft offenses, such as the California crimes listed below:
- Penal Code 484 – Petty Theft,
- Penal Code 487 – Grand Theft,
- Penal Code 487(d)(1) – Grand Theft Auto,
- Penal Code 459 – Burglary,
- Penal Code 215 – Carjacking,
- Penal Code 211 – Robbery,
- Penal Code 496 – Receiving Stolen Property,
Our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers will review below to give you a better understanding.
Society is Changing
I'll tell you, I've been doing this for 30 years, and for the first 25 years, these petty theft cases were horrible. People were taking marks on their records, which would last the rest of their lives.
Even if you got the case dismissed or expunged, you'd be in a position where people could see that you were arrested and deal with a theft-related case. It's tough to get a job when employers can see that you were involved with stealing.
So, these petty theft cases have been very serious, but things have loosened up over the last five years. Propositions have been passed. These propositions that have been passed show the judges and the prosecutors that society is changing.
They don't want people who have first-time petty theft cases to have a mark on their record for the rest of their life.
They want people to be given a chance so they can lead a successful life. Just because somebody made a mistake doesn't mean that that should dictate how the rest of their life is going to be lived. They need to be given the opportunity to get these petty theft cases off their record.
Defending Petty Theft Charges
So, if you or a loved one is charged with a theft-related offense that involves stealing small items from some sort of a store, a retail location, the mall, whatever the case may be, fortunately for you, things are ripe to be able to protect you, your future and your criminal record.
But, you're going to need a great criminal defense attorney to champion your position. That's where I come in. I've been doing this for 30 years.
I know what all the propositions are. I know what all of the diversion programs are. I know what it takes to protect your record, to reduce cases from felonies to misdemeanors, to expunge cases, to get arrest records sealed and destroyed if there's no case filed against you.
That's another huge problem. What if you're arrested for petty theft and then they don't file the case against you? It's still going to show that you were arrested for a petty theft.
You don't want that cloud hanging over your head. You want to get rid of that arrest record. So, you come to somebody like me. I'll show you the parameters of how that can be done, what it takes, what motions have to be filed, how much time has to pass and everything associated with that.
So, if you or a loved one is looking for the best criminal defense attorney to defend you in a petty theft case, to preserve your record, to preserve your good name, to even preserve your freedom in some cases, you've come to the right place.
Pick up the phone now. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding of the Hedding Law Firm. All of the information that is written on these websites has been written by me.
You can see, I have videos, so you can see who your attorney is going to be. I have a lot of experience in this theft crime arena. This is not going to define you. We're going to figure out a way to put you back in the right position.
Strategy Meeting
First, we have you come in. You tell me what happened. You tell me why it happened. Don't leave anything out. Give me all the information because even if you don't hire me, I can't tell anybody about what you're saying because everything is protected by the attorney/client privilege.
You don't want to leave anything out. You want to make sure I have all the information so I can help make the best moves right from the beginning.
Once you meet with me, you're going to begin to get peace of mind because you're going to see I have a lot of experience. I have a lot of local connections, so we can try to put you in the best possible position.
Pick up the phone now. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. I stand at the ready to help you. Hedding Law Firm is located in Los Angeles County and we offer a free case evaluation.
