Theft and property charges
Theft charges, from a store to a payroll
A theft charge is about more than the amount. It can follow you into every job interview, which is why the ending matters as much as the verdict.
Some theft cases start with a store's security video. Others start with an employer's audit, a pawn record or a card used in the wrong name. Each has its weak point: who had access, what the video really shows, how the value was counted.
I look for that point, and for the endings that keep a conviction off your record: dismissals, diversion, paying back what's owed, and conditional discharges where the court allows them.
Property cases I take
Misdemeanor and felony cases, first charges and repeat ones.
Shoplifting
Store stops, civil demand letters, and the video that came with them.
Employee theft
Missing cash, inventory or payroll, and the internal audit that pointed at you.
Stolen property
Buying, holding or selling something that turned out to be stolen.
Burglary
Entering a home, business or car, and what the state has to show about intent.
Check and card fraud
Bad checks, someone else's card, and identity charges that come with them.
Embezzlement
Money handled for someone else, from a club treasury to a business account.
What changes how a theft case ends
These four things decide most of what's possible.
- 01
Step 1: The value
The amount can separate a misdemeanor from a felony, so how it was counted is the first thing I check.
- 02
Step 2: Intent
Taking something by mistake isn't theft. What you meant to do is part of what the state has to prove.
- 03
Step 3: Paying it back
Restitution early can open diversion or a dismissal. It's offered on terms we set, never as an admission.
- 04
Step 4: Your record
A first charge has options a third one doesn't. Either way, there are endings that keep the case off a background check.
Questions about theft charges
The store sent a letter demanding money. Do I have to pay?
That civil demand is separate from the criminal case, and paying it doesn't end the charge. Bring the letter to our meeting before you do anything.
My employer wants me to sign a statement. Should I?
Not before talking to a lawyer. Statements written for an employer are often handed straight to the police.
Will this show up on background checks?
A conviction usually will. Many dismissals and diversion endings can be kept off or cleared later, which is why we aim for them.
Call before you sign anything
A letter from the store or a meeting with HR is the moment to get advice, not after.