Santa Barbara Petty Theft Lawyer

Theft Charges Reduced or Dismissed

Our knowledgeable and highly successful criminal defense law firm has the resources and the experience to launch a well-organized and effective defense against any theft charges that you may be facing, including petty theft. With over 50 years of combined experience, we are very familiar with the theft laws of California and can often obtain a reduction in charges or complete dismissal, depending on the circumstances. If you have been charged with petty theft, get in touch with a Santa Barbara criminal defense attorney at Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP as soon as possible so that we can review the charges against you and help you decide in which direction to go.

Petty Theft Attorney in Santa Barbara Area

Under California’s Penal Code 484 and 488, petty theft is defined as the unlawful taking of property valued at under $400. Although the offense is classified as a misdemeanor, a second offense can be charged as a felony under the law. Petty theft is most often based on a shoplifting offense that can be committed in one of several ways, including:

Larceny (usually shoplifting)
Trickery, e.g., changing price tags
Embezzlement
False pretenses

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Petty theft differs from grand theft, which is another category of theft crimes, in terms of the value of the property/services and the legal penalty levied upon conviction. Although petty theft may seem minor compared to violent crimes such as murder, the conviction will remain a permanent part of your record in most cases and can restrict your ability to find employment, live where you want to live and obtain certain professional licenses. With this in mind, such a crime should not be taken lightly and requires experienced representation from one of our attorneys.

Our tough defense attorneys have a total of over 5 decades of experience, are Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated Preeminent and have the highest AVVO rating possible of 10/10. We serve communities of Montecito, Isla Vista, Goleta, Carpinteria and the UCSB campus and welcome your consultation with us.

We invite you to contact a Santa Barbara petty theft lawyer at your earliest opportunity if you are in need of a strong and aggressive defense to protect your rights.