It is that time of the year again where theft charges pick up in the area, specifically at retail stores. This is partly due to people wanting to get Christmas presents for their family and friends, even though they do not have the funds to pay for the presents. As I have dealt with many clients who have been charged with theft in the past, they get this feeling of they “don’t want to let anyone down” when they decide to take items from a store.
Within the past year businesses, such as Wal-Mart and Hy Vee, have seen a significant increase in theft at the self-checkout counters. As a result, I have seen that these businesses have upgraded their camera/recording systems within the stores. The cameras at the self-checkout counters are now capable of reading the screens from above. And as you can imagine, more people are being charged with theft.
A theft conviction can be extremely detrimental to a person’s criminal background report since it is a crime of dishonesty. It is rare an employer who deals with finances will hire someone with a theft conviction on their record. So what can you do to prevent a conviction from going onto your record?
If you are charged with a theft, you may be able to receive a deferred judgment. A deferred judgment will allow a person to have the theft charge dismissed/expunged from their record upon successful completion of probation. Additionally, there are potentially other ways you may be able to have your charge dismissed depending on the situation. And of course, you always have the option of going to a trial and letting a jury decide whether you are guilty or not guilty.
Simply put, it is best to contact a theft defense lawyer and go over your options if you are charged with a theft. If you have questions about your theft charge, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Feld Law Firm and we would be happy to answer any questions you might have about your theft charge.