LARCENY & SHOPLIFTING DEFENSE

LARCENY & SHOPLIFTING

Shoplifting, and larceny in general, are serious charges that can serve a harsh punishment. Understanding the charges that you are facing is important. Above all, a shoplifting defense attorney with thorough experience is helpful in these cases. In short, you can call us, the attorneys of Goff Voltin, to get a rigorous defense.

GRAND LARCENY/PETIT LARCENY

• In Virginia, Larceny is derived from common law.
• Larceny is “the wrongful taking of the goods of another without the owner’s consent with the intention to deprive the owner thereof.” Bright v. Commonwealth, 4 Va. App. 248 (1987).

CONCEALMENT/SHOP LIFTING

• Shoplifting is usually charged as a crime of concealment.
• To convict someone of concealment, the Commonwealth must prove “a willful concealment of merchandise done with the intent to convert the merchandise or to defraud the shopkeeper.” Johnson v. Commonwealth, 35 Va. App. 134 (2001).
• The concealment statute criminalizes the act of concealing merchandise in a store, even before an individual has exited the premises.

Anyone could find themselves facing criminal charges. In fact, a criminal charge can have lasting effects on the lives of those with such charges on their records. However, in order to effectively handle a serious legal situation, individuals often need to understand what they are facing. If you have a criminal law charge in Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg, Yorktown or the rest of the Hampton Roads area, call the criminal defense attorneys at Goff Voltin, PLLC today.

To speak with one of our team members, please feel free to call us at (757) 369-2415 or fill out our contact form below.

WE OFFER CRIMINAL LAW SERVICES IN NEWPORT NEWS, HAMPTON, WILLIAMSBURG, YORKTOWN AND THE REST OF THE HAMPTON ROADS AREA.