Property Crimes

What are Property Crimes?

Crimes against property occur when someone’s personal possessions, property, or money is taken without the permission of the owner. The most common property crimes include the theft of jewelry, high-tech devices, and high-end cameras but can include any property of note or value.

Property crimes pose a number of difficulties for police and prosecutors due to the nature of the evidence involved. In cases where burglary, theft, or breaking and entering is involved, surveillance video is often poor in quality and eyewitness testimony can be mostly unreliable. Crimes of vandalism or the defacing of public or private property usually take place at night, making it hard to identify suspects.

At Ridings Law Group, P.C., our Nashville property crimes lawyer works diligently with forensic professionals in exposing weaknesses in the prosecution’s case against you if you are charged with a property crime. Due to the life-altering legal consequences that are involved, it is always in a person’s best interest to obtain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney who has the legal background and knowledge necessary to aggressively fight theft and property crime charges.

Contact David Ridings online or by phone at (615) 394-7611 today for a free consultation from a Nashville property Crimes lawyer.

Robbery

Robbery is a property crime that usually includes the threat of violence; because of this, robbery is considered to be a violent crime. When the commission of the crime includes the use of a gun or knife and the victim suffers serious injury or harm, the charge is increased to aggravated robbery and especially aggravated robbery, respectively.

Shoplifting

Probably the most common property crime is shoplifting, or the theft of goods from a retail establishment. While most retailers have increased security measures to thwart shoplifters, this non-violent crime is responsible for business losses in the billions of dollars range each year throughout the United States. Penalties are generally less severe than general theft, but a conviction for shoplifting is still serious and can have a detrimental effect on the perpetrator, both in terms of a criminal record and, in many cases, the fallout that comes from others finding out about such conviction—including your current or future employer.

Burglary

If an individual enters a building with the intent to commit a felony, assault, or theft, this is considered a Class E or D felony burglary, depending on the circumstances. The charge can be increased to aggravated burglary if the person enters a building designed for habitation or especially aggravated burglary if the inhabitants of the building suffer bodily injury.

Felony Theft

In Tennessee, embezzlement, false pretense, fraudulent conversion, larceny, receiving or concealing stolen property, and other levels of thievery are considered theft. If an individual steals property or services valued higher than $500, the charge becomes felony theft with varying degrees dependent upon the value (i.e., $500-$1,000 = Class E felony). Felony theft convictions can result in serious consequences, such as time in prison, heavy fines, and years of probation and/or parole.

Contact Our Legal Team for a Free Consultation

At Ridings Law Group, P.C., our Nashville property crimes lawyer understands the fear, anxiety, and confusion you may be feeling when charged with a property crime. We want to help alleviate your stress. Whether your case is heard in state or federal court, the prosecution could have significant resources at its disposal to win the case.

Because of Attorney David Ridings’ years of experience, he is often able to match the prosecution and find the best outcome to your legal matter. Because he takes the time to learn your case and your situation, he is typically able to develop a defense that is tailored to your needs and fight for acquittal, dismissal, or reduction in charges whenever possible.

With well over two decades of experience defending those accused of property crimes throughout Tennessee, our seasoned criminal defense attorney not only knows the law but also knows how to build a defense aimed at protecting your rights. If you’ve been arrested and/or charged with theft, get the defense and peace of mind you deserve.

Contact our firm online or call (615) 394-7611 for a free consultation with Attorney Ridings today.