Crimes related to stealing another person’s property are taken very seriously in New York State, as law enforcement wants to make sure individuals know this behavior is not tolerated and those that do break these laws will face harsh penalties. Crimes related to the unlawful removal of another person’s property can range in severity depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
If an individual steals from another party and does not threaten them or harm them in any way, the crime is simply considered theft. The best example of this is when an individual shoplifts from a retail store and then leaves the store. In this situation, the only individuals harmed are those who lost money on the product but they are not physically harmed.
However, if the same individual were to walk into a retail store and start threatening or injuring other individuals in the store with a weapon in an effort to steal property, they may be faced with robbery charges. A theft crime is upgraded to robbery when there is any sort of weaponry, threats, or force used in the process of stealing property. Of course, robbery crimes will have harsher penalties than simple theft.
If you have been arrested on charges of theft or robbery, contact our firm today.
If you are in need of experienced legal counsel for a criminal defense matter on Long Island or throughout New York State, please contact Grunwald & Seman, P.C. to schedule a consultation and we would be happy to assist you.
