Larceny

Larceny is defined in Virginia as the wrongful or fraudulent taking of personal goods of some intrinsic value, belonging to another, without his assent, and with the intention to deprive the owner thereof permanently.  The most commonly used statutes dealing with larceny are 18.2-111 (Embezzlement), 18.2-95 (Grand Larceny), 18.2-178 (Obtaining by False Pretenses), 18.2-96 (Petit Larceny), and 18.2-103 (Shoplifting).  These charges are by no way the only larceny charges in Virginia, but the ones seen regularly in court.  Larceny charges can be both misdemeanors and felonies, with the determination of the level of punishment usually based on the value or identity of the item stolen.

The laws controlling the crimes and punishments of larceny are always subject to change.  In fact they went through a number of significant changes in 2021.   For example the threshold for Grand Larceny has changed from $200 pre-2019, to $500 in 2020, and in 2021 the amount became $1000.  The change in 2021 regarding Felony Petit Larceny Third is another example of how quickly things change. Prior to the change anyone convicted twice of a larceny faced a felony no matter what the value of the item taken.  Our lawyers defend clients charged with crimes every day in Court, and keep up with changes in the law by attending multiple trainings a year.  It is very important that you don’t end up in Court with someone who is not aware of all of these changes.

Any crime is serious, and can be detrimental to your future. However, larceny charges have a stigma, which can hurt you for the rest of your life.   A larceny conviction is a very difficult thing to overcome when seeking employment.  It can be a bar for housing.  Certain larcenies can cause you to lose your right to vote, sit on a jury, and possess a firearm.

The lawyers of Jurach, Tacey & Quitiquit have focused their entire legal careers on criminal prosecution, and now defense.  If you or a loved one are charged with a crime you need to contact an attorney with the experience to help you.