Whittier Theft Charges Attorney Anthony A. Arzili has handled thousands of theft cases in the Whittier Courts.

If you are facing theft charges in Whittier, you could face incarceration, fines, probation and a criminal record that will haunt you for the rest of your life.

An experienced Whittier Theft Charges Lawyer can make all the difference by insuring that your case is resolved without jail time and does not damage your criminal record for the rest of your life.

Whittier Theft Charges Attorney Anthony A. Arzili has handled thousands of theft cases in the Whittier Courts.   Attorney Anthony A. Arzili not only knows the court your case is pending but he also knows the decision makers in those courts.

There are a wide variety of Theft Charges, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.  Whittier Theft Crimes Attorney Anthony A. Arzili has handled every type of theft case with outstanding results.

Common Types of Theft Crimes

Petty Theft  (Penal Code Section 484)-Misdemeanor with maximum of 6 months jail/fines/probation.

Petty Theft with a Prior (Penal Code 666)-Can be charged as either a Misdemeanor or Felony. A Misdemeanor Petty theft with a Prior carries one year maximum in county jail. A Felony carries a maximum of 3 years in prison.

Grand Theft   (Penal Code 487) is the theft of property over $400 in value.  This can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony, carrying 1 year or 3 years respectively.

Embezzlement  This is a common charge for persons that are alleged to have stolen while serving as an employee or trustee of a business.  This is a wobbler that can be filed as misdemeanor or felony.

Commercial Burglary (Penal Code 459) Can also be charged as Misdemeanor or a Felony with a maximum of 1 year or 3 years, respectively.  Not considered a strike if filed as a felony.

Residential Burglary   (Penal Code 459) is always a felony and carries a maximum of 6 years in prison.  A res. Burglary is a strike offense.

Auto Burglary  Basically, the burglary of the contents of a car.  This can be treated as a misdemeanor or felony.

Robbery  (Penal Code 211) Always a felony and always a Strike.  To prove a robbery, the prosecution has to show that you acquired the victim’s property by fear or force.    If they allege that a weapon was used, this nearly doubles your sentence.  An allegation that a gun was used, adds 10 years to a Robbery.

Defenses to Theft Charges

Anthony A. Arzili has handled every possible type of theft charge and brings that expertise to your case.  Being an experienced Whittier Criminal Defense Attorney allows Anthony A. Arzili to review the facts of your case and develop a strategy for presenting a strong defense to the charges against you.

We put the pressure on the government to prove every element of the crimes they’ve alleged.  And if they cannot, then the charges should be dismissed.

Possible Defense to a Theft Offense are:

• No force or fear used (Robbery, Carjacking)
• No intent to steal (Petty Theft, Grand Theft)
• Wrong Person arrested (all theft charges)
• No theft occurred (residential burglary, commercial burglary)

Key is to reduce charges to a misdemeanor

Fortunately, most theft charges are “Wobblers,” which means they can be filed or reduced to a misdemeanor.  No conviction will hinder your future employment prospects any more than a Felony Theft Conviction.   For this reason and many others, its vital to make sure that your case is reduced to a misdemeanor and ultimately expunged.

Hiring an experienced criminal theft attorney early on in the game can make the difference between jail and freedom, misdemeanor or felony.

Recent Results on Theft Cases

Petty Theft Charges 2010-Downey

Client was arrested for petty theft charges from a local department store.  She was given a court date and facing 6 months maximum, probation, fines, and a conviction on her record.

We were able to have no charges filed against our client.  We met with the prosecutor prior to filing and they decided to not file charges.   No fines, no probation and nor record.

Petty Theft Charges 2010- East Los Angeles

Client was alleged to have taken some items from large retail store.  Store security detained her and handed her over to local police who arrested her.  The case was already filed when we were retained.

We were able to secure a resolution where misdemeanor charges would be dismissed with 10 days community service and client would simply receive an infraction (not a criminal conviction, but similar to a speeding ticket)

Petty Theft with a Prior 2010-Bellflower/Downey

Client was on probation for theft when he was arrested for a new theft offense just one year later.

Because of previous theft conviction, case could have been filed as a felony and resulted in prison time. We were able to secure a result where our client received a misdemeanor and 5 days of community service.

Grand theft Charges-Bellflower 2010

Client was arrested for Felony Grand theft.  He bailed out and was given a court date.  Charges were filed against him.  He was facing a criminal record and 1 year in jail.

We negotiated a resolution where client would do 20 days of community service and charges would be dismissed and he would receive an infraction.

Commercial Burglary-Whittier 2009

Client was arrested for Commercial Burglary and Grand Theft.  He was facing 2 years in county jail.

We were able to resolve the case for no jail time and a misdemeanor petty theft.

Robbery-gang allegation-Norwalk 2010

Client was charged with taking by force another man’s jewelry.  There was also an allegation that a gang name was used in intimidation.

After we got involved in the case, we were able to get both the Robbery and Gang Allegation (carrying 14 years maximum) tossed out and our client pled to a non-strike accessory charge and was released.

Felony Commercial Burglary, Receiving Stolen Property-Downey/Norwalk 2009

Client was charged with multiple felonies and was being offered 2 years in prison.
We negotiated a resolution where he would do 20 days of community labor and no jail time.

Felony Grand Theft Auto-Whittier 2010

Client was arrested in Whittier and was facing prison time.

We were able to get involved early and get charges not filed.

If you have a Theft charge, trust your freedom and future to someone whose been there and gotten through it many times.  Call for a free consultation.  562-907-4448 or email us at AnthonyArzili@gmail.com.