Property violations have serious consequences, even if they are not violent crimes. Offenders suffer repercussions that follow them for years and sometimes their entire lives.
A simple misunderstanding can see you indicted for one of the following charges. Conviction may affect your employment, immigration status, or professional licenses. Hiring a criminal defense professional gives you better odds of avoiding a disagreeable outcome.
Theft
There are many scenarios under which you could receive a charge of theft. Taking an item from a friend without permission is one. The perception of a threat demanding money or property is theft by extortion. Penalties depend, in part, on the value of the possession in question.
Shoplifting
Leaving a store without paying could turn into a shoplifting charge. Absentmindedness is a potential explanation. Evidence of concealment strengthens an argument of intent to steal. The presence of an accomplice weakens your chance of avoiding punishment. While shoplifting is usually a misdemeanor, it can also be a felony.
Damage
Not all property crimes involve personal enrichment. You could destroy a home or public area and get into trouble. Smashing windows and lighting fires are tough to justify. Graffiti is another type of property damage. Unlike wanton destruction, a defendant might claim it has artistic merit. Property destruction sometimes happens in the heat of a domestic dispute. The perpetrator can still wind up in trouble, despite the circumstances.
There are many flavors of property crimes that bring down charges. Abstain from activity that others might interpret as breaking the law.