Theft or shoplifting charges in Washington State can be a felony if the property in question is valued at more than $750, or a gross misdemeanor (3rd Degree Theft) if less than $750. Since theft is considered to be a crime of moral turpitude, a conviction can result in employment termination or prevent future employment or housing opportunities.

As noted above, Third Degree Theft (Theft 3) includes stolen items worth $750 or less. Theft 3 is a Gross Misdemeanor and includes possible jail time that can be up to 364 days or house arrest, fines up to $5000 and court ordered restitution. Second Degree Theft (Theft 2) includes stolen items worth between $751 and $5000. Theft 2 is a class C felony and includes jail time up to 5 years, fines up to $10,000 and court ordered restitution. First Degree Theft (Theft 1) includes stolen property with a value exceeding $5000. Theft 1 is a class B felony and includes jail time up to 10 years, fines up to $20,000 and court ordered restitution. Those numbers and days sound pretty scary. But do not despair, there are many things an attorney can do to protect you and to resolve the case with a favorable outcome. The ‘fix’ may take time, but is often achievable with good old fashioned hard work and experience.

If you or a loved has been arrested or charged with a crime like Theft in Washington State it would be smart to immediately contact a Seattle criminal defense attorney to protect your rights and interests. The Seattle criminal defense attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly qualified and reputable Seattle criminal defense lawyers that are dedicated to providing top notch, aggressive representation for those arrested for crime all across Western Washington and the Greater Puget Sound region. The team creates success by working with law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney’s office to ensure that all facts and circumstances related to the criminal allegations are considered in creating the fairest, most equitable and just resolution possible in light of all the surrounding circumstances of the given case. So, whether cited for Theft, prostitution, possession and/or distribution of drugs, assault, property destruction or some other crime, protect yourself … call SQ Attorneys immediately.