What is theft?
Theft is defined by as dishonestly appropriating (taking) property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it (i.e., treating the item/goods as your own).
The Law.
If found in possession of property which can be proved to have been stolen, in absence of some credible explanation, a person will be found guilty of stealing the property. This includes thefts during a robbery or burglary or handling it. - Theft Act 1968 (TA 1968) and Theft Act 1978 (TA 1978).
What is the penalty for theft?
Theft matters can be heard in ‘either’ the Magistrates Court or in the Crown court and are often referred to as ‘either-way’ offences. In the Crown Court the maximum penalty is seven years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.In the Magistrates’ Court, the maximum penalty depends on when the offence was committed. • For offences committed prior 2nd May 2022, the maximum penalty for a single either-way offence is up to 6 months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine; or for two or more either-way offences, the maximum penalty is up to 12 months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine;• For offences committed on or after 2nd May 2022 the Magistrates can impose up to 12 months imprisonment or an unlimited fine for a single offence [see The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022]
Hi Lucinda - I wanted to thank you for your support during my case. You put my mind at rest and made the whole process not only painless but also stress free, so thank you.
Dear Lucinda, I wanted to say thanks to you once again. you have done the amazing work for me.
How can we help you?
If found guilty of Theft you can be sentenced to imprisonment, so we recommend you seek legal advice as soon as possible.
1. If you have been asked to attend an interview under caution at the police station we will be able to attend the police station with you – we may be able to provide robust early representation to avoid the matter proceeding further to court.
2. If you have been charged with an offence and are due to attend court, we can book you in for a consultation with one of our specialist solicitors as soon as possible (most clients request a virtual consultation to work around their working commitments which we can always offer).
Once you have booked in with us, we will start work on your case right away. We will request the prosecution evidence from the crown prosecution service, if this is provided before your consultation we will be able to go through all this with you, we will be able to assess the evidence against you and advise whether it is in your best interests to plead Guilty or Not Guilty but even if the evidence is yet available we can take your full instructions, advise you on the relevant law and procedure and prepare you for your court hearing.
3. If you do not accept the offence you are charged with, we can help you challenge the offence. We will help you to enter a Not Guilty Plea to the Theft matter and represent you at trial (either one or our solicitors will represent you or we will instruct a barrister according to your personal budget - We offer bespoke criminal legal advice and representation, tailored to your own personal needs)
4. If the evidence against you is strong, or you wish to plead guilty for a mistake made, we have a particularly outstanding reputation for providing expert court mitigation to get the best outcome at court for you.
Contact one of our specialist criminal solicitors today for advice, Lucinda Dore can often fit clients in for a virtual consultation at short notice as we know that you will need urgent advice. We have a service available for all budgets so contact us today for a free no obligation discussion about how we can help you.