Property Crime Lawyer in Los Angeles

Crime rates vary dramatically by region and category. FBIUCR statistics (2018-2019) indicate that crime may be slightly decreasing, yet Los Angeles ranks higher in property crimes per square mile (282) than California (85) and the national median average (31.1). Chances of becoming a victim of property crime in Los Angeles are 1 in 33.

Residential Burglary

The breaking into and entering of a person’s residence completes the crime. The items taken, if any, are of less significance than the act itself. In fact, even “breaking into” is not necessarily required to commit the offense.

Common situations that lead to such charges are not limited to the intentional theft. Often, they arise in a situation where a jilted ex- boyfriend or girlfriend feels the need for one last confrontation or to regain some property left behind; only realizing too late that they’re breaking the law.

A lawyer’s ability to explain a clients’ confusion as to their right to enter the premises can go a long way in resolving these types of cases. Especially in light of the fact that this crime is treated as a strike felony with significant prison time attached to a conviction.

Commercial Burglary

Although one’s first thought might be of the plot in a complex heist movie, the reality can be much simpler.

In fact, entering a department store with a pair of pliers to pry off the security tag of an item later to be shoplifted can easily lead to such a charge.

If charged in such a situation, you’ll want the kind of defense attorney who can put this charge in the right perspective for a prosecutor to reduce the charges early in the case.

Vandalism and Graffiti

Both of these offenses carry enhanced punishment depending on the cost of the damages created by the offense.

Conviction of these offenses also carries the possibility of a driver license suspension of up to one year.

Obviously, you’ll want an attorney who can avoid this kind of conviction in order to save your driving privilege.

Trespassing

Trespassing is the entering onto another’s property with an improper intent or motive.

Often, cases that start as more serious offenses, such as theft or threats, are successfully plead down to this relatively minor offense.

Grand Theft

Essentially, the difference between grand theft and petty theft is in the amount taken. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $800.00, a misdemeanor petty theft becomes a felony grand theft.

There is frequently a great deal of discretion a prosecutor has in filing this type of case as well as how he might ultimately be willing to resolve it. Of course, there are many permutations in the nature of any theft case that have to be taken into account.
An important attribute of an experienced criminal defense attorney is that he has built successful relationships with prosecutors over the years that can lead to the best outcomes for his clients in cases like these.

Grand Theft Auto

This is a crime that comes in many colors. From teenage joyriding to professional car theft rings that work with “chop shops.”

I have represented a number of clients who have fallen into a very different category. People who have innocently rented a car and for various reasons did not return it on time or make appropriate arrangements for payment to the vendor.

While it’s a shock to be arrested for car theft in a scenario like this, I’m happy to report that I’ve had very favorable outcomes in these cases, including outright dismissals.

Fraud

Fraud comes in many guises. Some as simple as not paying for your stay in a hotel, to elaborate schemes involving many thousands of dollars that can involve extremely complex litigation both to expose it and defend it.

As always, you’ll want a lawyer with a level of sophistication and skill that can match the complexity of the charges against you.

Credit Card and Identity Theft

Identity theft has become so prevalent that many prosecuting agencies have prosecutors assigned exclusively to handle only these cases.

These matters are often complex, both for the prosecution and the defense. Often, an attorney will need a relatively sophisticated understanding of internet protocols to understand how the prosecutor’s case was built in order to defend his client.

Embezzlement

The offense of embezzlement is a crime alleging that someone who has been entrusted with the property of another has taken or converted it to his own use.

When faced with bad factual scenarios in such cases, the smart defense lawyer will try to find a resolution involving the payback of the victim in exchange for a greatly reduced punishment.

Again, this is an area where an experience lawyer who has built relationships with prosecutors over the years can make a big difference.

Forgery

While hardly limited to passing off someone else’s check as one’ own, this is a common example of this kind of offense.

The experienced criminal defense lawyer will be able to challenge the prosecutors case by exposing its weaker elements such as eyewitnesses who claim to have seen the client pass a forged instrument.