Theft and Property Charges

According to Colorado law, theft is legally defined as the act of intentionally taking some item of value from its owner without the owner’s express or implied consent and intending to permanently deprive the owner of that item. Theft may also legally be defined as the act of possessing any item that a person knows or believes to have been stolen. When a person is accused of committing theft, the value of the item(s) stolen will play the primary role in determining the severity of the charges filed in the case.

Types of Theft and Property Charges

The Denver metro area theft defense attorney at the Griffin Law Firm is skilled at helping those accused of theft or other property crimes resolve their cases as favorably as possible.

Specific types of theft charges that can be filed against a person include the following:

• Class 3 misdemeanor charges, which are punishable by up to six months in jail upon conviction, are usually filed when the value of the item(s) stolen is less than $100.
• Class 2 misdemeanor charges, which are punishable by up to one year in jail upon conviction, are typically filed when the value of the item(s) stolen is between $100 and $499.99.
• Class 4 felony charges, which are punishable by up to 12 years in prison upon conviction, are typically filed when the value of the item(s) stolen is between $500 and $14,999.99.
• Class 3 felony charges, which are punishable by up to 24 years in prison upon conviction, are typically filed when the value of the item(s) stolen is more than $15,000.

If the act of theft involves directly taking something of value off a person’s body, then Class 5 felony charges will generally be filed, regardless of the specific value of the item allegedly stolen.

Mitigating Factors with Theft Charges

Some of the factors prosecutors will take into consideration when deciding what type of charges to file against those accused of theft will usually include the following:

• Whether the accused person planned the theft known as premeditated or whether the alleged theft was committed impulsively
• Whether the accused person stole from a particularly vulnerable individual, such as a child or a handicapped individual
• Whether the accused individual had been entrusted with the valuable items in question by the community or an employer.

If you or a loved one has been charged with theft or any property crime, the Griffin Law Firm is ready to immediately start providing you with the strongest possible defense both outside and inside the courtroom.

Regardless of whether you are facing theft charges or property crime charges for the first time, have prior convictions and/or were on probation or parole at the time of the alleged crime, the Griffin Law Firm will work relentlessly to help you obtain the best possible outcome to your case because we are committed to upholding the ideal that the accused are innocent until proven guilty. The Griffin Law Firm offers clients more than 18 years of criminal law experience. Part of this experience is aggressively defending the rights of the accused for the past five years.

Contact Us Today

Let’s discuss your defense. To receive a complete evaluation of your case, along with professional advice regarding your best options for moving forward, contact us by calling 303-280-1070 or by emailing us using the form at the top of this page.