What are the punishments for shoplifting theft in Florida?: Criminal Defense Attorney talks shoplifting penalties
Petit Theft Shoplifting in Florida
If you’re arrested for Petit Theft in Florida, the max punishment could either be up to 60 days in County jail or up to 364 days in County jail.
Similarly to how the value of the stolen items determines whether the crime is a petit theft misdemeanor or a felony grand theft crime in Florida, the value of the shoplifted items also changes the potential penalties someone faces when charged with petit theft in Florida.
Petit theft includes stolen items valued at up to $749.
Second-degree Petit Theft (stolen property value less than $100)
- Up to 60 days in jail
- Up to a $500 fine
First-degree Petit Theft (stolen property value between $100 and $749)
- Up to one year in jail
- Up to a $1,000 fine
*If convicted of any theft crime twice, the defendant will then be charged with an elevated third-degree felony.
**Attempted theft is still considered a completed theft in Florida. It doesn’t matter if you had a change of heart and gave back the goods you were planning on stealing – you’re still in for the same charges as if you had actually stolen them.
Grand Theft Shoplifting in Florida
If you’re arrested for Grand Theft in Florida, you need to know that you’re facing a serious crime – if convicted, the maximum punishment for a grand theft conviction in Florida is up to 30 years in Florida State Prison. The severity of the consequence depends in part on the value of the items stolen and shoplifted.
Third-degree Grand Theft (stolen property valued between $750 and 19,999)
- Up to 5 years in prison
- Up to a $5,000 fine
Second-degree Grand Theft (stolen property valued between $20,000 and $99,999)
- Up to 15 years in prison
- Up to a $10,000 fine
First-degree Grand Theft (stolen property valued at $100,000 or more)
- Up to 30 years in prison
- Up to a $10,000 fine
Additional Penalties for Shoplifting in Florida
In addition to jail or prison time and fine penalties for shoplifting, shoplifting theft crimes in Florida also come with additional consequences.
Any Florida shoplifting charge can result in a driver’s license suspension of 6 or 12 months.
We’re not quite sure what shoplifting has to do with a person’s ability to drive … but we don’t make the laws, folks.
Some other penalties for Shoplifting in Florida include
- Becoming a convicted felon (potentially losing your right to vote or to own a gun, has a bad stigma)
- Probation – Up to the same amount of max prison time –Up to 5, 15, or 30 years of probation.
- Fines, Court Costs and lawyer fees.
There are many ways to avoid jail time if you’re facing a theft crime allegation in Florida, but having the right criminal defense lawyer is essential.
LEARN MORE:
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Learn more about Florida Theft Convictions’ Serious Consequences
- Get a FREE Instant Download of our Florida Arrest Survival Booklet
Learn how Rossen Law Firm Wins Florida Theft and Shoplifting Cases
Give us a call today for a free theft case consultation with a criminal defense attorney:
- Fort Lauderdale: (754) 206-6200
- Sunrise: (754) 999-2499
- Boca Raton: (561) 880-8181
