“Petit Larceny” or Petty Theft Laws
Being charged and convicted of petty theft in Las Vegas normally has misdemeanor offenses; however, the social effects of this crime would look bad on your criminal records which would hinder you get future employment. Getting a top Las Vegas criminal defense attorney can help reduce charges or even get the case dismissed entirely so your criminal records remain unblemished.
Nevada Revised Statute Section 205.240: Petit Larceny or Petty Theft
This law defines petit larceny Nevada or petty theft when someone intentionally steals another person’s money, valuable, and property valued at less than $250. Most of these cases are:
- Taking someone’s pets
- Shoplifting
- Stealing from a hotel room where the suspect was lodged.
Determining the price of the alleged stolen property would depend on the highest value attributed by the court. Value of the property that exceeds $250 would be considered as grand larceny which would have more serious offenses.
Defenses for Petty Theft
A good defense attorney can use different arguments when fighting petit theft charges. The most common defenses are:
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Alleged stolen property belongs to you.
Taking what is rightfully yours is not stealing and you should not be charged nor even convicted of a crime you did not commit.
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The lack of intent.
Proving the intention of petit larceny is a crime. There are instances where shoppers forget to pay for the merchandise they bought. In this situation, you should not be convicted of petit larceny because of the lack of intent.
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There was no taking involved.
The legal definition of petit larceny involves “taking of the property”, in this scenario, when the item has been given or legally purchased it, the charges should be dismissed.
Penalties for Petit Larceny
The Petit Larceny Las Vegas are considered as a misdemeanor offense and have the following punishments:
- Up to 6 months imprisonment
- Fines up to $1,000
- Restitution of the items or property allegedly stolen
Plea Bargains
Petit larceny is a misdemeanor offense and if you file for a petition to seal your criminal records, it would take 2 years before the court seals them. However, for 1st offense of petty theft, the prosecutors may be amenable to dismiss your charges or reduce it to minor offenses in exchange for restitution of the items or property, fines, and completion of Petit Larceny School – a court-ordered course about shoplifting.