Stealing
Stealing/Larceny
Stealing basically involves taking a persons property, without consent, without a claim of right over the property, and with the intention of permanently depriving the person of the use of their property.
It can occur in so many different ways that it is hard to list. It includes shoplifting and it can include finding property (such as money or a watch or wallet) in the street and deciding to keep it – referred to as stealing by finding.
Stealing potentially carries a sentence of imprisonment and is treated seriously by the courts. The value of the property may have some part to play in the sentencing process, as will the circumstances in which the offence is alleged to have occurred – such as the degree of planning used in committing the offence or whether there was a relationship of trust between the owner and the person who took the property.
It is possible to steal your own property! For example, if you took your car for repairs but failed to pay the account and the mechanic refused to hand over your car until payment was made, you could be charged with stealing if you used a spare key to take your car because the mechanic had special ownership over your property.
Stealing is an offence of dishonesty and this is reflected in the punishments imposed by Courts, with imprisonment up to 5 years.
If you are charged for stealing, don’t wait, contact us for help, it’s a serious offence and you need lawyer with expertise in this field. Call us on 9797 8688
