Theft Crimes
We specialize in assisting defendants with theft crime cases throughout California — petty theft through grand larceny.
How We Defend Theft Crimes Cases
Theft convictions carry a stigma that follows you through every job application and background check for the rest of your life.
We pursue diversion, civil compromise, and reduction strategies that protect your record and your livelihood.
After Prop 47, most theft under $950 is charged as a misdemeanor — but recent legislative push-back has expanded burglary and organized-retail theft prosecutions. Knowing which charge applies and how to challenge it is now more important than ever.
Theft cases frequently involve store loss-prevention statements, surveillance, and POS data. We subpoena the source footage and transaction logs because the snippet shown to the jury is rarely the full story.
What's at Stake
- ▸PC 484/488 (petty theft): up to 6 months jail and $1,000 fine
- ▸PC 487 (grand theft, >$950): up to 3 years state prison
- ▸PC 459 (burglary): 1st degree 2–6 years, 2nd degree up to 3 years
- ▸PC 215 (carjacking): 3, 5, or 9 years; strike offense
- ▸PC 666 (petty theft with priors): up to 3 years; potential strike pleading
How We Fight Back
- Claim of right / honest belief of ownership
- Lack of intent to permanently deprive
- Mistaken identification — especially in shoplifting cases
- Civil compromise under PC 1377 to dismiss the criminal action
- Coerced or unrecorded confession suppression
- Insufficient evidence of value to support felony charging
How Your Case Will Be Handled
We meet — in person, by phone, or by video — to hear your side, review every document, and identify the prosecution's theory before it solidifies.
We send our own investigators after the witnesses, the surveillance, the bodycam, and the records the State would rather you never see.
Motions to suppress, Pitchess motions, expert retention, and negotiation — every lever pulled before a jury is ever empaneled.
Dismissal, reduction, diversion, or a trial verdict — we prepare every case as if it will be tried, because the State takes notice when a defense lawyer means it.
Theft Crimes FAQs
Every Hour Matters in a Theft Crimes Case.
Speak directly with Andrei Lapine. Free, confidential, and available 24/7 for urgent matters.
Related Defense Areas
Charges often overlap. If your case involves more than theft crimes, we defend these related matters across California.
