“I lost my carry concealed permit due to the misapplication of the law by law enforcement. My guns were taken from my home, and my permit was suspended. Thank you Thom Goolsby for standing up for the Second Amendment and my gun rights. You corrected the mistake of law enforcement, and I got my permit back. I appreciate your skill and advocacy.”
CALL US: 910-262-7401
Theft Crimes
WILMINGTON, NC THEFT LAWYER
Have you been accused of stealing or possessing stolen property? Your first thought may be to defend yourself. You might think you can explain things to the police. This is never a good idea. People rarely talk themselves out of charges. Usually, it’s the opposite. Suspects many times give valuable information to law enforcement leading to their arrest. Instead, the best thing to do for yourself is to call an experienced criminal defense lawyer and let him speak to the police on your behalf. What your attorney says cannot be used to make a case against you. In many instances, a lawyer can prevent you from being charged or at least reduce your level of exposure.
Theft is a crime of dishonesty. The impact on your life is significant. Aside from time in custody and/or long periods of probation, employers shy away from hiring people with a theft conviction. Criminal defense attorney Thom Goolsby is here to help. With decades of experience in North Carolina, Attorney Goolsby has defended thousands of people. He knows how prosecutors think, work, and understands what it takes to get a theft case dismissed, reduced, or to be found not guilty.
FIGHTING THEFT CHARGES IN NORTH CAROLINA
Use Attorney Thom Goolsby’s knowledge and skill to pursue the best possible outcome. Call
910-262-7401, send a text, or use
our online form to request a free consultation.
LARCENY IN NORTH CAROLINA
There are several laws against theft (also known as larceny) in North Carolina under NC General Statutes (NCGS) §§14-70—14-86.2.
Theft was formally charged as either petty larceny or grand larceny, but NCGS §14-70 removed this distinction. Instead, larceny is now a Class H felony, though specific theft crimes may be charged as lessor or higher offenses.
For example, you can be charged with misdemeanor larceny if you are accused of taking, receiving, or possessing stolen goods worth less than $1,000. This is a Class 1 misdemeanor. If the value is more than $1,000, you face felony larceny. You can also be charged with felony larceny if you are accused of stealing certain property, including explosives, an incendiary device, or a firearm.
Working with a criminal defense lawyer is particularly important if the value of the property is in dispute. A prosecutor may claim the value meets or exceeds the grand larceny amount of $1,000. Your attorney may be able to argue for the charges to be reduced to misdemeanor theft. Such a reduction allows you to fight a significantly lower-level charge where you do not risk a felony conviction.
LARCENY BY DECEPTION OR TRICK
Not all theft crimes involve breaking into a store or home and removing items. You can also be charged with a felony due to theft by deception, also known as larceny by trick. You may be accused of making false statements or working under a false impression to gain access to money or property to which you would not otherwise have access. This type of theft relies on deceiving the victim, instead of stealing in secret or through force.
An example of larceny by deception is pretending to accept donations, then keeping those donations for yourself. Yet another example is entering into an agreement that you did not intend to uphold. Depending on the value and circumstance, theft by deception can be a misdemeanor or felony.
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you Thom Goolsby for helping me with my case. I heard that you were a super attorney, and I heard right! Thank you for your attention to detail and for helping me with this important matter. Your office was always available to assist me, and your care and concern meant a great deal to me. If I ever need an attorney again, you will be the first person that I call.”
Personal Injury Client
“Thank you for walking me through the process for getting my open container and underage possession of alcohol charges dismissed. You arranged for a very simple deferred prosecution. It was easy to comply, and my record is now clean. I appreciate your excellent help!”
Criminal Defense Client
WE DEFEND AGAINST ALL TYPES OF THEFT
At Goolsby Law Firm, we can defend you against:
POSSIBLE DEFENSES TO THEFT CHARGES
There are several elements to a theft crime that prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt before you can be found guilty. In our experience, prosecutors can have difficulty establishing some of these elements, which can strengthen your defense.
For example, prosecutors must prove:
- Who owned the property;
- The value of the property;
- The act of theft itself; and
- Intent to deprive the owner of their property.
Through his experience and success in court, Attorney Thom Goolsby has found theft cases are almost always worth fighting. Because theft is typically a non-violent crime, investigations do not always receive a great deal of attention. This fact leads to shoddy police work and weak prosecutorial strategy. These issues create holes in the State’s case against you that we can utilize in your defense.
PETTY AND GRAND THEFT PUNISHMENTS
In North Carolina, the criminal penalties for theft are outlined in a punishment chart that considers the class of the offense and your prior criminal record level.
Misdemeanors are dived by Class A1, 1, 2, and 3, and prior conviction levels I, II, or III. The greatest penalty possible is a Class A1 misdemeanor with a prior conviction level III, which carries one to 150 days of active, intermediate, and/or community punishment. The lowest possible penalty is a Class 3 misdemeanor with a prior conviction level I. Such a conviction carries a fine or one to 10 days of community punishment.
There are 10 classes of felonies (A, B1, B2, C-I), and six prior record levels (I-VI).
For a Class H felony, the range of incarceration is:
- Level I: Four to six months
- Level II: Six to eight months
- Level III: Eight to 10 months
- Level IV: Nine to 11 months
- Level V: 12 to 15 months
- Level VI: 16 to 20 months
There are also minimum and maximum ranges. The ranges can be impacted by mitigating or aggravating factors.
GOOLSBY LAW FIRM CASE RESULTS
VETERAN FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES FOUND NOT GUILTY OF TWO OFFENSES When a disabled veteran was found with drug paraphernalia and marijuana in his vehicle, he was arrested and charged. To make matters worse, the officer who stopped him also charged the man with DWI (driving while impaired) and open container in a motor vehicle. Wanting to avoid the harsh penalties that would come from convictions on these offenses, the man reached out to Goolsby Law Firm for help. Attorney Thom Goolsby took the case to trial, where the client denied the impaired driving charge. Working hard to protect the client’s freedom and rights, attorney Goolsby advocated on the veteran’s behalf. As such, the client was found not guilty of the DWI and paraphernalia charges. While he was guilty of marijuana possession and the open container charge, he was simply ordered to pay court costs.
ASSAULT CHARGE DISMISSED Recently, an individual in North Carolina found himself in some trouble when he was charged with assault after an incident at a nightclub. The individual denied assaulting the club’s bouncer, but still faced the criminal charges, so he reached out to Goolsby Law Firm for help. Attorney Thom Goolsby immediately got to work on the case. Due to his quick involvement and swift action, the case was dismissed.
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CALL A THEFT LAWYER TODAY
If you have been arrested for any theft crime in Wilmington or approached by a detective with questions about a theft in New Hanover County, the best thing you can do is to remain silent. Tell the officer you are happy to cooperate after you have spoken to your attorney. Once you contact Attorney Thom Goolsby, he will take over and talk to the police on your behalf. Let him help determine if the charges can be dropped or reduced. He will then talk with you about the best possible defenses in your particular situation.
Don’t let a theft conviction hold you back. To learn more about defending against theft charges, contact Goolsby Law Firm online, or call 910-356-8361. We offer free initial consultations and are happy to explain what comes next.
FREE CONSULTATIONS 24/7
CONTACT GOOLSBY LAW FIRM TODAY
Like any quality criminal defense attorney, Thom Goolsby may be in court when you first call, but leave a voice mail or send a text. We’ll get with you as soon as possible, so we can go over what happened, evaluate the case, and explain what comes next.