Theft and burglary
What it was worth, and who says so
A theft charge can follow a person for years. In a town of oilfield and shift work, it can cost a job before the case ends.
Theft cases run from a shoplifting stop to a yard of missing equipment, and the level of the charge usually depends on one number: what the property was worth. We check that number, then who saw what, then whether you were even there. We also look at what the charge means for your work, because some employers and licenses ask.
The value
The level of the charge often turns on what the property was worth.
The video
Store and yard cameras can help or hurt, so we watch all of it.
The job
We plan around employers and licenses that ask about charges.
Charges we handle
Shoplifting and retail theft
Theft from an employer
Burglary of a building or vehicle
Oilfield equipment and materials
Fraud and bad checks
Theft charges that affect a license
How a case grows
How a theft case grows
The number on the charge, and the person who gave it, are where we dig first.
Step 1: Roots
We ask for the store or employer records, the video and how the value was figured, and find out who is actually saying what.
Step 2: Trunk
We test the value, the identification and the timeline, and decide whether to push for dismissal, a lesser charge or trial.
Step 3: Branches
We talk with the prosecutor about paying back, a program or a reduced charge, and explain what each offer does to your record and your job.
Step 4: Shade
We talk early about sealing a record, so a closed case does not keep costing you applications for years.
Sample matters
How these cases can end
Three invented sample matters, written to show the kinds of outcomes a theft case can have.
Dismissed
Shoplifting, first offense
Dismissed after the store video showed the client paid before leaving.
Sample matter
Reduced
Theft from an employer
Reduced to a lesser charge once the claimed value was shown to be too high.
Sample matter
Not guilty
Burglary of equipment
A jury found the client not guilty after the only witness could not place him at the site.
Sample matter
Sample matters, shown for illustration. Every case is different, and a past result does not predict another.
Questions
Asked about theft and burglary
I paid the store back. Is it over?
Not necessarily. Paying can help, but the prosecutor, not the store, decides whether the case goes on. Please talk to us before you offer anything.
Can I still work while it is pending?
Usually, yes. We look at what your employer or your license requires you to report, and what you do not have to say.
Is a first offense treated differently?
Often there are options for a first offense, such as a program or a reduced charge. We explain what is available in your court.
Charged with theft?
Call us before you talk to the store, the employer or the police.