Petty Larceny Punishment is charged when somebody is convicted of petit larceny in Virginia. Petty Larceny is known as the most common theft charge in Virginia. In Virginia, petty larceny is defined as the illegal taking of the goods of another person without the consent of the owner intending to deprive the owner permanently of ownership of the things.
There are many types of petty offenses and each kind of Petty Larceny Punishment is different. The most common kind of petty larceny is basic shoplifting. Therefore, an offender can be charged with Petty Larceny Punishment in many other ways. Moreover, other types of criminal charges might be taken in some specific cases.
Under the law of Virginia, there are some particular laws that deal with shoplifting only but mostly this offense is charged as a simple petty larceny.
TYPES
Petty Larceny from the person is charged when a person steals something from another person whose price value is less than $5. Such theft where the price of a good is lesser than $5 falls on a felony charge of “Grand Larceny”. The most common type of grand larceny is pickpocketing.
Petty Larceny, which based on Value, is a criminal offense that is charged under the Virginia code section 18.2- 96. It is typically just a stealing offense for anything that has a price value of $200 or lesser than that. Shoplifting is the most common type of this offense.
Punishment
Petty Larceny Punishment can vary on various factors. Petty Larceny falls under Class 1 misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of 12 months imprisonment in jail.
Petty Larceny Punishment also involves the penalty fine of up to $2500 depending on the severity of the case. One of the most important things judges consider is that whether a person has been already convicted of such crime before. If it is so, the punishment will be more severe. And, if a person has been convicted of petty larceny 2 times before, it is more likely that they can be charged with the grand larceny in which an offender is sentenced to imprisonment for up to 10 years. Therefore, prior convictions in this kind of case are very important because the judges to consider the prior convictions for other criminal offense too.
Laws
There are different laws of every specific kind of petty larceny in Virginia. Under Va. Code 18.2 – 97, larceny of animals and poultry is charged. Under Va. Code 18.2- 98, larceny of money and bank cheques are charged. Whereas, stealing or destruction of public records is charged under the Code of 18.2- 107.
The defense attorney in Virginia that deals with petty larceny cases helps the people who are charged and convicted of Petty Larceny. The defense attorney is a team of professional and well- experienced lawyers that will help you get away with the charge and make sure that the best outcome is carried out in the case. Therefore, if someone is accused or charged with petty larceny, it is better to contact and consult a defense lawyer in Virginia.