Shoplifting

The criminal offense of petit theft, shoplifting or retail theft can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. It is considered a crime of dishonesty. In many of these case, an innocent mistake can turn into a criminal accusation even for someone who has never been arrested or accused of any criminal offense before.

The vast majority of our clients charged with petit theft have never been arrested before. In many of these cases, our client is terrified about the effect the arrest and prosecution will have on their employment opportunities in the future. We are experienced in working with people to defend them against an accusation of shoplifting or petit theft in Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County, Lake County, Polk County, Volusia County, Sumter County, or in any surrounding area, contact our office today.

Each county has different diversion programs that may be available for certain theft charges. For certain programs you may be required to admit guilt or give up your right to expunge your criminal record. The retail store may threaten to sue you for civil damages related to the accusation of theft. Having an experienced attorney to guide you through the process is important in any shoplifting or petit theft case in Florida.