Practice Areas

• Accessory After the Fact
• Arson
• Assault & Battery
• Battery on a Peace Officer
• Assault with a Firearm
• Battery
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon
• Bail Review & Reduction
• Carrying a Concealed Weapon
• Child Endangerment
• Conspiracy
• Criminal Threats
• Domestic Violence
• Driving with A Suspended License
• Drug Possession
• Marijuana Possession for Sales
• Drug Possession for Personal Use
• Drug Possession for Sale
• DUI Defense
• I've been arrested for DUI. What happens to my Driver's License?
• DUI Under 21
• The 'Rising Blood Alcohol' Defense
• Attacking the Breath Test
• The "No Driving" Defense
• I've been arrested & cited for DUI? What happens next?
• Attacking the Blood Test
• Elder Abuse
• Embezzlement
• Expungements
• Hit and Run
• Housing Violations
• Juvenile Defense
• License Defense
• Nursing License Defense
• Murder
• Police Misconduct Litigation
• Pre-Filing Investigations
• Professional & Vocational License Defense
• Prostitution
• Public Intoxication
• Sex Crimes
• Indecent Exposure
• Solicitation of Prostitution
• Rape
• Theft Charges
• Robbery
• Purse Snatching
• Burglary
• Embezzlement
• Identity Theft
• Three Strikes Law
• Vacating Convictions
• Deportable Offenses: Vacating Your Guilty Plea to Avoid Deportation
• Vandalism
• Vehicular Manslaughter
• Warrant Recall
• Weapons Charges
• Witness Intimidation

We Are South Bay's Premier Petty Theft & Shoplifting Criminal Defense Lawyers.

I've been charged with petty theft. What's gonna happen to me?

If you have been charged with petty theft, you should know, from the get-go, that there is nothing "petty" about the charge in terms of what consequences you may be facing. In fact, certain circumstances (including the value of the property you are accused of stealing, or a prior related conviction) may exacerbate your punishment. While a first petty theft is classified as a misdemeanor, a second or third petty theft conviction can result in a felony charge against you. This is also known as a petty theft with a prior. It is punishable by one year in the county jail or even 16 months (one year and four months) in state prison.

Our Torrance criminal defense lawyers (Palos Verdes criminal defense lawyers, Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers) have a combined experience of more than 50 years defending persons accused of petty theft. Our founding partners, Bruce McGregor and Robert Ernenwein, are former Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys.  Robert Ernenwein, one of our Co-founders, is Certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.  Robert Ernenwein and Bruce McGregor have both been named “Super Lawyers” by Los Angeles Magazine.  Robert Ernenwein has appeared as a legal analyst on multiple cable news programs, including Fox News.  The experience and capabilities of the lawyers at McGregor & Ernenwein are unmatched.  
  
Our extensive experience and knowledge give us the tools we need to successfully challenge petty theft charges.

The biggest mistake you can do is to take this lightly. It is true that first offenses are punishable by a relatively low fine and informal probation ranging from 1 to 3 years. Here's where the real trouble begins:

(1) You will have a "stain" on your criminal record that may unleash a financial tidal wave in your life if you cannot find employment and, therefore, pay your bills. A petty theft charge on a job application or business or professional license applicable will mostly likely result in a denial of the job or license application. The chain reaction is obvious: you would be unable to meet mortgage payments, utilities, credit card bills and probably basic living expenses.

(2) Consider the nature of a petty theft conviction, which denotes fraud and dishonesty. Figuratively, it would be like having the word "THIEF" on your forehead when you apply for a job or a business/professional license.

(3) You will have just opened the gates to a possible future felony charge should you fall into the temptation of stealing again and getting caught. That's right. You may think to yourself, "But, I'll never do this again!" But there is no guarantee another mistake won't be made. And if you do, you're looking at felony petty theft, the consequences of which make a misdemeanor petty theft look like the proverbial "walk in the park."

If you hire McGregor & Ernenwein, we will do everything possible to minimize your misdemeanor petty theft to an infraction. A traffic ticket would be an example of an infraction; in other words, a non-criminal matter. We have even been able to get charges dismissed in certain cases. However, much like a dismissal, and unlike a misdemeanor conviction, an infraction will NOT appear in your background. If we can get you a dismissal or a reduction to an infraction and you have no criminal record, you will remain "clean" because you will not have been convicted of a crime.

What if this is my second or third petty theft? Really, how much worse can things get?

A second or third theft or shoplifting offense is exponentially worse in terms of what may happen to you. The reason for this is that the prosecution may file felony petty theft charges. Also known as a petty theft with a prior, a felony petty theft conviction may cause you to serve a sentence in the county jail for one year....or even worse, 16 months (that's One YEAR and 4 MONTHS) in a California State Prison.

Should you make the wise decision to hire us, we will do everything possible to minimize the charges and the consequences of a misdemeanor petty theft or even a felony petty theft charge.

There is a host of issues we can evaluate based on our analysis of the police reports, witness statements and other evidence on file. Based on our findings, we may be able to successfully thwart a criminal prosecution in court, or otherwise weaken the case against you.  
           
Our Southern California Petty Theft Lawyers (Torrance petty theft lawyers, Los Angeles petty theft lawyers, South Bay petty theft lawyers, Carson petty theft lawyers) represent clients throughout Southern California, including Alhambra, Arcadia, Artesia, Avalon, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bell, Bell gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Carson, Cerritos, City of Industry, Claremont, Commerce, Compton, Covina, Cudahy, Culver City, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Los Angeles, El Monte, El Segundo, Gardena, Glendale, Glendora, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Inland Empire, Irwindale, La Canada Flintridge, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, La Verne, Lakewood, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Rey, Maywood, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Norwalk, Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Paramount, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Playa Del Rey, Pomona, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Marino, Seal Beach, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, Temple City, Torrance, Vernon, Watts, Walnut, West Covina, West Hollywood, Westlake Village, and Whittier.

The consultation is free and we are available 24 hours a day. Email us or call us today at 877-338-4489. 

Blog for Theft Charges

• TSA Officer Allegedly Stole $22,000 in Watches from LA Airport Luggage

  Description: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) worker allegedly stole $22,000 in watches from travellers’ baggage at the Los Angeles International Airport. He recently was indicted on July 22nd, 2011 on three misdemeanor theft counts and two felony theft counts on July 22, 2011. Have you or someone you know been arrested for a California crime? Contact McGregor & Ernenwein to obtain a completely free consultation with one of our experienced Torrance criminal defense attorneys.

Library for Theft Charges:

• What are the best California auto burglary defenses?
  Description: If you are arrested for a DUI charge, contact McGregor & Ernenwein to obtain a free consultation with an experienced Torrance criminal defense attorney.
• Grand Theft vs. Petty Theft

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Case Results for Petty Theft:

• DISMISSAL OF "PETTY THEFT WITH A PRIOR," REDUCTION TO NO-JAIL MISDEMEANOR

Awarded: DISMISSAL OF "PETTY THEFT WITH A PRIOR," REDUCTION TO NO-JAIL MISDEMEANOR

• Reduction of Misdemeanor "Petty Theft" down to Infraction "Disturbing the Peace"

Awarded: Reduction of Misdemeanor "Petty Theft" down to Infraction "Disturbing the Peace"

• DISMISSAL OF PETTY THEFT CHARGES; CLIENT ATTENDED DIVERSION PROGRAM BUT RECEIVED NO CONVICTION

Awarded: DISMISSAL OF PETTY THEFT CHARGES; CLIENT ATTENDED DIVERSION PROGRAM BUT RECEIVED NO CONVICTION

• Dismissal of Grand Theft and Embezzlement Charges

Awarded: Dismissal

• Dismissal of Petty Theft Charge out of Compton Juvenile Courthouse

Awarded: Dismissal of Charges

Videos about Petty Theft:

• Shoplifting