It’s hard to get around the term of “shoplifting” without the basic idea of it being that you took something of value from a store or business. It doesn’t matter if you forgot to pay for it, or if suffer from kleptomania. The authorities won’t be too forgiving when you are caught stealing. There are those people who commit shoplifting and admit to their wrongdoing. Some will say that even knowing that it was against the law, they did it because they thought they would never get caught. Showing this lack of remorse would be an example of how it can’t help your case in court. A judge doesn’t want to see, or hear, from a defendant who doesn’t care about breaking the law.
Petit theft in the second degree is the least serious of shoplifting offenses. It means the defendant stole goods that were less than $100. If you are arrested for petit theft, you may face a first degree misdemeanor if the items stolen are over $100 but less than $300. Petit theft in the second degree is punishable by up to 60 days in jail and $500 in fines, while first degree carries up to one year in prison and fines up to $1,000.
Many people are falsely accused of petit theft, so it is important to hire a defense attorney who is willing to hear your side of the story and begin plotting a reasonable defense for your charge. A simple misunderstanding in a store can lead to a legal headache.
