Nassau County Theft Crimes Lawyers

Fighting Charges for Larceny, Robbery, and Other Theft Offenses

Theft crimes involve unlawfully taking another person’s property. Usually, the act is done without the other individual’s permission, but it can also consist of using fraud to deceive the person into giving up the item. New York law defines several kinds of conduct considered theft, including larceny, robbery, auto stripping, and possession of stolen property. The offenses range in severity and can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies. The level depends on the act and value and type of item stolen. A conviction can affect a person for the rest of their life, leading to incarceration, fines, and a mark on their criminal record.

If you have been charged with a theft crime in Nassau County, reach out to our attorneys at Ladis & Baldwin Law Group. We have extensive experience with the criminal justice system. Both of our lawyers have also served as former prosecutors. We use our in-depth knowledge of the law and unique insights from both sides of the courtroom to develop strategic defenses for our clients. Allow us to review your case and determine options for fighting your charge.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our Nassau County theft crimes lawyers, please call (516) 908-9958 or submit an online contact form today.

Theft Crimes in New York

Title J of the New York Penal Law concerns various offenses involving or related to theft. Generally, the crimes consist of taking or keeping property that belonged to someone else when the item was given up without consent or by force or deception.

The theft crimes statutes include:

Larceny: This offense involves appropriating someone else’s property with the intent to deprive the owner of it. It can be accomplished by trick, false promises, extortion, or taking lost property.

In New York, larceny is classified as petit or grand. Petit larceny occurs when the property is valued at $1,000 or less. Grand larceny is separated into different degrees determined by how much the item is worth and what it is. For instance:

Fourth-degree: The value exceeds $1,000 or is a debit card, public record, scientific material, or other documents.
Third-degree: The value exceeds $3,000 or is the contents of an ATM.
Second-degree: The value exceeds $50,000 or involves extortion by threatening physical injury, property damage, or abuse of official position.
First-degree: The value exceeds $1 million.

Robbery: The crime consists of theft by force. It is split up into three degrees:

Third-degree: This involves forcibly taking someone’s property.
Second-degree: The offense is elevated to this degree if it’s committed with another person, someone was physically injured, the actor displayed a firearm, or the property was a motor vehicle.
First-degree: A person commits robbery in the first degree if they cause serious physical injury, are armed with a deadly weapon, use or threaten to use a dangerous instrument, or display a firearm.

Auto stripping: The crime consists of removing or destroying any part of a vehicle. Without any aggravating factors, it’s third-degree auto stripping. If the actor has been convicted of the offense before or removes any part of 2 or more vehicles with an aggregate value of $1,000, it’s second-degree auto stripping. And first-degree auto stripping is when someone removes or destroys any part of 3 vehicles, and the aggregate value is $3,000 or more.

Possession of stolen property: It is a crime to knowingly possess an item that was stolen. The offense is separated into 5 degrees:

Fifth-degree is the crime without any aggravating factors.
Fourth-degree occurs when the property's value exceeds $1,000 or is a credit card, debit card, firearm, or other items.
Third-degree is when the value of the property exceeds $3,000.
Second-degree is when the value of the property exceeds $50,000.
First-degree is when the value of the property exceeds $1 million.

What Are the Penalties for Theft Crimes in NY?

Theft crimes can be penalized by jail or prison time, fines, and other sanctions. The punishments a court can impose depend on the facts of the case, such as the value of the item stolen, the defendant’s criminal history, and the acts involved.

Examples of the level of charges for theft crimes and the potential penalties include the following.