People in Connecticut may have other people’s property in their possession for many different reasons. Usually its because they are borrowing it from family, friends or a neighbor or purchased it. However, sometimes people take the property without the owner’s permission or without paying for it. There is a variety of reasons that people may do this, but if they are caught, they could be charged with theft.
If people are charged with theft, they could face serious consequences, The consequences depend of different factors, but the main factor is the value of the property or service which was taken.
If the value of the property is more than $20,000 or the property or service is taken by extortion then people could be charged with first-degree larceny, which is a Class B felony. It is a second-degree larceny, which is a class C felony, if the value of the property or service is more than $10,000 or the property is taken from the person of the victim regardless of the value of the property taken. If the property or service is more than $2,000 or if a motor vehicle is taken that is worth $10,000 or less the, person could be charged with a third-degree larceny, which is a class D felony. If the property is more than $1,000 it is a class A misdemeanor, if it is more than $500 it is a class B misdemeanor and if it is less than $500 then it is a class C misdemeanor.
As one can see, the more that one takes in Connecticut, it will result in more severe charges, which results in more severe penalties. However, people only face these potential penalties if they are convicted. Simply being charged does not mean people are in fact guilty. There are potential defenses available to people charged with theft and people may not suffer the consequences stated above. Experienced attorneys understand these defenses and may be able to help protect one’s rights.
