Theft is the serious crime and the laws have stated clearly the penalties regarding this crime. There are various categories of theft and the penalties are according to the type. According to Virginia laws, there are three main categories of the theft or larceny. These include petit larceny, grand larceny, and larceny with multiple convictions.
Theft charges according to type of the crime
Petit larceny
This is the type of theft in which offender steals property less than $200 or do robbery of the goods less $5. The theft charges in Virginia are less as compared to grand larceny. The offender has to go jail for about 1 year and has to pay fine up to $2500. The offender will be charged with the class 1 misdemeanor criminal record.
Grand larceny charges
Grand larceny is a severe category. According to this the offender who steals the property more than $200 worth or does robbery of the goods of worth more than $500 is charged with grand larceny guilt. The criminal has to go to jail for one to 20 years depending on crime severity. He has to pay fine up to $2500. This offense comes under felony criminal record.
Larceny of animals and poultry
According to Virginia laws, the stealing of animals and poultry comes in a different section. The person who does this offence will be charged with the specific penalties as described in the law. An individual doing this crime is considered the guilty of class 5 felony. The criminal has to face the jail from one to 10 years along with he has to pay fine up to $2500.
Larceny with intent to sell or distribute
It is a severe crime if someone steals good and after that, he sells or distributes. Laws of Virginia has stated different theft charges for this offense. The person is liable to face a felony with the jail of two to twenty years.
Penalties for multiple larceny convictions
The person who convicts this offense for multiple time is liable for penalties. For second or third time offense, the criminal has to face the jail up to one year. Along with theft, robbery also comes under larceny charges. the person is liable to strict charges if he creates violence or threatens the victim to get the property. In that case, he will be charged with a felony with the jail of five to life time prison and heavy duty fine.
In case if you or someone nearby you are facing the larceny charges. It is good to hire a legal advisor who can help you in defending your charges. if you are facing charges more than your offense than the legal advisor definitely aids you in reducing your penalties and fine. The capable legal advisor will collect all the facts and figures to get strong evidence. In this way, the jury can make a decision and charge the offender according to his crime or the medical situation in case present at the time of the offense.