When someone accuses you of a crime, it is important to understand the allegations. One offense that can cause confusion is burglary. You may consider burglary and theft to be the same thing. According to the Florida Legislature, taking someone's property is not an...
Theft & Property Offenses
Theft to support an addiction: possible defense options
Addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling can change you. The drive to feed your addiction is often overwhelming. In some cases, people who have never broken the law in their lives become so desperate that they turn to shoplifting, burglary and other theft crimes to...
Joyriding is no laughing matter
Spring break is coming again. So are thousands of thrill-seeking teenagers and college students eager to escape winter and turn Florida into their tropical playground. Some might even dare to rustle up a crew, hot-rod along the beach in somebody else’s vehicle, bring...
Defenses against shoplifting in Florida
Many people consider shoplifting a minor crime and usually associate it with teenagers stealing clothing or candy bars. However, the U.S. retail industry estimates up to $50 billion in merchandise is lost each year by retailers, who take it very seriously. In Florida,...
Theft comes in many forms
Many people have preconceived notions of what theft looks like. They imagine someone shoplifting a candy bar from the store or stealing money from the bank. However, those are just two forms of theft. In reality, theft has a wide variety of meanings, ranging from...
Types of theft crimes in Florida
Most crimes that involve stolen property fall under the theft laws in Florida. The state distinguishes between petty theft and grand theft based on the value of the stolen items. Review the definitions of and possible penalties for Florida theft-related crimes. ...
Components of larceny
Larceny is a type of theft and one of six different types of property crimes. For authorities to lawfully charge an individual with larceny, there are certain components to the alleged crime that must be present. If the components of larceny are not present, it does...
Wal-Mart extorting those it suspects of shoplifting
You’ve been there hundreds of times, it’s just another trip to Wal-Mart. You pick up what you need and check out at a self-service register. Suddenly, an intimidating security officer steps in front of you and accuses you of not paying for everything. You’re only...
You could lose your gun rights without a weapons offense charge
It would be hard to deny that gun laws are important in the United States. The right to bear arms—as the Founding Fathers put it—is intrinsic to our legal system. Despite being a right of all Americans, the number of ways you could lose your firearm privileges might...
Theft by finding: an examination of Florida law
You’re walking down the beach at sunset, when all of the sudden you feel foot kick something hard. You look down and notice a pair of Rat-Ban sunglasses in pristine condition. You look around and, seeing no one to claim them, take them for yourself. Lucky you!...