Defending Theft by Shoplifting Cases In Cobb County And In The Atlanta-Metropolitan Area
The Offense
Elements Of the Crime
Georgia Code 16-8-14 defines Theft By Shoplifting as follows:
A person commits the offense of theft by shoplifting when such person alone or in concert with another person, with the intent of appropriating merchandise to his or her own use without paying for the same or to deprive the owner of possession thereof or of the value thereof, in whole or in part, does any of the following:
(1) Conceals or takes possession of the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(2) Alters the price tag or other price marking on goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(3) Transfers the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment from one container to another;
(4) Interchanges the label or price tag from one item of merchandise with a label or price tag for another item of merchandise; or
(5) Wrongfully causes the amount paid to be less than the merchant's stated price for the merchandise.
This Crime Can Be Charged As Either A Misdemeanor Or A Felony
When Shoplifting Is Charged As A Misdemeanor Offense
A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting when the property which was the subject of the theft is $500.00 or less in value shall be punished as for a misdemeanor; provided, however, that:
(A) Upon conviction of a second offense for shoplifting, where the first offense is either a felony or a misdemeanor, as defined by this Code section, in addition to or in lieu of any imprisonment which might be imposed, the defendant shall be fined not less than $500.00, and the fine shall not be suspended or probated;
(B) Upon conviction of a third offense for shoplifting, when the first two offenses are either felonies or misdemeanors, or a combination of a felony and a misdemeanor, as defined by this Code section, in addition to or in lieu of any fine which might be imposed, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 30 days or confinement in a “special alternative incarceration-probation boot camp,” probation detention center, or other community correctional facility of the Department of Corrections for a period of 120 days or shall be sentenced to monitored house arrest for a period of 120 days and, in addition to such types of confinement, may be required to undergo psychological evaluation and treatment to be paid for by the defendant; and such sentence of imprisonment or confinement shall not be suspended, probated, deferred, or withheld.
The maximum penalties for misdemeanor shoplifting are 12 months in custody, a $1,000.00 fine, or both.
When Shoplifting Is Charged As A Felony Offense
(A) Upon conviction of a fourth or subsequent offense for shoplifting, when the prior convictions are either felonies or misdemeanors, or any combination of felonies and misdemeanors, as defined by this Code section, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years; and the first year of such sentence shall not be suspended, probated, deferred, or withheld; provided, however, that, in the court's discretion, the court may depart from such mandatory minimum sentence when the prosecuting attorney and defendant have agreed to a sentence that is below such mandatory sentence.
(B) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting, as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, when the property which was the subject of the theft exceeds $500.00 in value commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
(C) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting when the property which was the subject of the theft is taken from three separate stores or retail establishments within one county during a period of seven days or less and when the aggregate value of the property which was the subject of each theft exceeds $500.00 in value, commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
(D) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting, as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, when the property which was the subject of the theft is taken during a period of 180 days and when the aggregate value of the property which was the subject of each theft exceeds $500.00 in value, commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
Definition Of The Term "Value"
The term “value” means the actual retail price of the property at the time and place of the offense. The unaltered price tag or other marking on property, or duly identified photographs thereof, shall be prima-facie evidence of value and ownership of the property.
The Crime Of Shoplifting Can Have Serious Consequences
As time passes in this age of inflation and the value of goods and services soars in value, the chances of finding a good or service worth more than $500.00 in value is increasingly becoming more common. As noted above, if a person is charged with shoplifting and the value of the property exceeds $500.00, it is a felony that carries a possible sentence of one to ten years in prison! Even if that person has never been arrested before, or if he simply took one item off of a display shelf, the potential criminal penalties that person faces can be very severe indeed. Even certain shoplifting cases that are charged as misdemeanors may carry a possible sentence of mandatory jail time or house arrest.
Due to the relatively harsh penalties that may be imposed in these types of cases, it is critical to have an attorney on your side who is trained to identify and factual or legal defenses that may be available to you.