by admin | May 28, 2013 | Shoplifting
Approximately one in 11 Americans have shoplifted and per year, companies lose more than 11 billion dollars in merchandise. While the majority of the time, shoplifters view shoplifting an addiction or disease, it ultimately is a crime, and in Virginia, you can face charges anywhere from petit larceny if the item(s) stolen is worth less than $200 and is punished with a Class 1 misdemeanor to grand larceny if the item(s) stolen are worth more than $200 and is classified as a felony. Larceny is defined as the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person. Possession of the item(s) can be actual or constructive. If it’s actual, the person is in physical control of the property and it’s constructive if the person is not in physical control but there is sufficient evidence to believe that the person is in control of the property. For example, actual possession would be locating stolen property in a person’s purse. Constructive possession would be locating stolen property in the trunk of a car the person is driving. A person is not considered guilty of larceny unless they carry away the personal property however, the individual(s) involved can be charged with concealment, which is another type of larceny in Virginia. Concealment occurs when someone willingly hides merchandise or takes merchandise from a store; alters the price tag(s) on merchandise, moves merchandise from one container to a separate container; when someone helps another person hide or take merchandise from a store; when someone assists or helps another person alter price tags on merchandise or moves it from one container to another....
by admin | Apr 1, 2013 | Shoplifting
Fairfax Shoplifting day in court If you are facing a Fairfax Petit Larceny or a Fairfax Shoplifting charge your case will be set at 9:30 in courtroom 2J. When court starts the judge will begin by first talking to all the individuals who are eligible for a disposition under the Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources (OAR) program. The OAR program is an excellent opportunity available in Fairfax and few other jurisdictions. Under Virginia law a conviction is typically for life. Expungement or the removal of a conviction, from a person’s record is not available if someone is found guilty. The OAR program is one of the exceptions to this punishing rule. The OAR program allows for even a guilty person to have their case dismissed if they complete 47 hours of community service and a 3 hour anti-theft class. The case is rescheduled for about 6 months to allow completion of the program. You will have to return at the end of the 6 months to allow completion of the program. You will have to return at the end of the 6 months to verify successful completion. In addition to community service and the class, you must also stay out of trouble for that 6 month period. When the judge calls eligible people it is smart to participate in the interview. It’s often referred to as an interview, but it’s actually more of an information session. An opportunity for an OAR employee to discuss the program and what is expected of participants. After completing the interview you return to the courtroom and wait for the judge to recall your case....
