Solana Beach Theft Crime Defense Lawyers

Defense Against Theft Crime Charges in Solana Beach

The property crime rate in Solana Beach is 12.29 per 1,000 residents, as compared to 21.3 for California, as reported by Neighborhood Scout. Of all property crimes committed in the state in 2021, larceny accounted for 63%, auto theft for 21%, and burglary for 16%, as stated by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The root causes of crime include economic factors (poverty), social environment, and family structures, according to the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Council (CS&CPC). If you are facing theft crime charges, it is in your best interests to speak with an experienced Solana beach theft crime defense lawyer as soon as possible.

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What Theft Crimes Are Common in Solana Beach?

Our law firm has extensive experience handling a wide range of theft crime defense cases. Proposition 47, passed by California voters in 2014, turned many felony crimes, including theft crimes, into misdemeanors under state law. This has significantly reduced jail time and other consequences of certain offenses. Common theft crimes in Solana Beach include:

• Identity theft: Taking someone else’s personal information for use in a fraudulent or unlawful manner is identity theft. It is a wobbler, which can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. Misdemeanor penalties for identity theft may include up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Charged as a felony, this crime carries up to three years in state prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
• Forgery: Signing someone else’s name, forging handwriting, or altering or creating financial or legal documents for the purposes of fraud is forgery. This crime is a wobbler. As a misdemeanor it carries up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. As a felony, it is punishable by a prison sentence of up to three years and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Carjacking: This felony crime involves using force or fear to take control of a vehicle from another person. Carjacking is punishable by up to nine years in state prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. It falls under California’s Three Strikes Law, by which penalties can be significantly enhanced.
• Grand theft of a firearm: Theft of a firearm worth more than $950, or when the accused is a registered sex offender or has a prior serious felony conviction, is grand theft of a firearm. It is a felony offense, punishable by 16 months to three years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Petty theft: Unlawful taking of property valued at $950 or less is petty theft. It is a misdemeanor, punishable by a jail sentence of up to six months and a fine of up to $1,000.
• Auto burglary: Entering or breaking into someone else’s vehicle with the intent to commit theft or a felony inside is auto burglary. It is charged as second degree burglary, a wobbler offense. Penalties for misdemeanor auto burglary include a jail sentence of up to one year. Felony auto burglary is punishable by 16 months, two years, or three years in jail.

If you have been accused of a crime in Solana Beach, one of the most important decisions you will make is the lawyer you choose to represent you. At jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, we have the skills and expertise to provide our clients with the best defense possible. Our founding attorney, James Dicks, is one of the few lawyers in California who is board-certified as a criminal law specialist.

Contact us at (760) 630-2000 to find out how we can help.

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