Aggressive Shoplifting Defense Attorneys in Totowa, NJ Fight to Protect the Rights of Clients Accused of Shoplifting in Passaic County, Hudson County, Essex County, Bergen County, and Throughout NJ
Shoplifting is treated as a serious criminal offense in New Jersey, as unchecked theft from retail stores can negatively impact and even jeopardize the viability of businesses throughout the state. If you’ve been arrested for or charged with shoplifting, you need to act to protect your rights and interests. Even if you are only facing seemingly minor charges for shoplifting low-value items, a criminal record that includes a conviction for shoplifting can have major negative impacts on your future, as it can affect your opportunities for housing, employment, education, or financial services. Our experienced New Jersey shoplifting lawyers from Camili & Capo, PA can help you fight against charges of shoplifting.
As a former Passaic County prosecutor, attorney Krenar Camili and his law partner Joseph Capo have seen all kinds of criminal matters and taken many cases large and small to trial. You can trust that they are prepared to fight your charges, whether a less serious offense only involving a few hundred dollars, or a more serious criminal offense involving tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise. You don’t have to let a mistake jeopardize your freedom and future. Put your rights and interests in the hands of a battle-tested criminal defense attorney so you can be assured that you’ll be able to handle anything the criminal justice system may throw at you in your case.
Don’t leave the outcome of your case to chance in the criminal justice system. You can act to help pursue a favorable outcome to your charges. Contact Camili & Capo, PA for a free initial case evaluation to discuss your legal rights and options for defending yourself against shoplifting or other theft charges in New Jersey.
What Constitutes Shoplifting?
The New Jersey shoplifting statute expressly identifies several acts that can constitute the criminal offense of shoplifting:
Carrying away or transferring any merchandise for sale with the intent to deprive the merchant of possession without paying full retail value for said merchandise
Concealing merchandise, whether on one’s person or otherwise, with the intention of depriving the merchant of possession of said merchandise without paying for its full retail value
Altering, transferring, or removing labels or price tags in an attempt to deprive a merchant of some part of or all the full retail value of merchandise
Transferring merchandise to a different container with the intent to deprive a merchant of some part or all the full value of said merchandise
Purposely under-ringing merchandise with the intent to deprive a merchant of its full retail value
Purposely removing a shopping cart from retail premises without the consent of the merchant and with the intent to deprive the merchant of the possession, use, and value of the cart
The severity of a shoplifting charge, and the resulting penalties you could face following a conviction, will depend on the total value of the merchandise or property involved.
How Camili & Capo, PA Can Help You Mitigate the Consequences of a Shoplifting Arrest
Even when you are arrested for and charged with shoplifting, you have legal rights and options available to you to defend yourself and mitigate or avoid the consequences of a conviction. With Camili & Capo, PA representing your rights and interests, you can expect our knowledgeable New Jersey shoplifting lawyers to pursue the best possible outcome for you by:
Conducting an independent investigation of your charges rather than simply relying on evidence provided by the prosecution in discovery
Helping you understand your rights and options and the possible outcomes from your charges
Identifying weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and aggressively pursuing a reduction or dismissal of your charges
Taking your case to trial when it represents the best option for securing a favorable outcome, and advocating before the jury to fight for a not-guilty verdict
Facing Criminal Charges And Have Questions? We Can Help. Just Tell Us What Happened. Call (973) 834-8457 Or Fill Out Our Convenient Free Case Evaluation Form.
When the criminal justice system is working hard to secure your conviction, you deserve legal representation with the legal knowledge and experience inside and outside the courtroom to effectively defend your rights and interests and help you to pursue an outcome in your case that protects your freedom and your future from arrest and conviction for shoplifting.
Contact Camili & Capo, PA for a Free, Confidential Case Review with an Experienced New Jersey Shoplifting Lawyers to Discuss Your Shoplifting Charges
Even though shoplifting can seem like a minor criminal offense, depending on the value of the items involved, you may be facing significant criminal penalties in the event of a conviction. You need to act quickly to protect your freedom and future if you’ve been arrested for and charged with shoplifting, Contact Camili & Capo, PA today for a free consultation to learn more about how our knowledgeable shoplifting defense attorneys in Totowa, NJ can help you to obtain the best possible result for you in your case.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shoplifting in New Jersey
How is a shoplifting charge graded?
In New Jersey, the grading of a charge of shoplifting is based on the value of the items that were taken. Items totaling less than $200 in value typically only result in a disorderly persons charge (misdemeanor charge), while values greater than $200 result in felony-level charges. Taking items that total more than $75,000 in value can result in a second-degree criminal charge, which carries significant prison time and fines in the event of a conviction.
Can I be charged with shoplifting if I accidentally walked out of the store without paying for an item?
New Jersey’s shoplifting statute only criminalizes knowingly or purposely taking merchandise from a store without paying the full value to the merchant. If you walked out of a store without realizing that you hadn’t paid for an item, that fact can serve as a defense to a charge of shoplifting since you did not knowingly or purposely remove the item without paying its full value. However, under the shoplifting statute, if you have concealed merchandise and walked out of the store without paying for it, you will be presumed to have concealed the merchandise with the intent to steal it.
