Georgia Theft Crime Defense Attorneys

For over a decade, our nationally recognized law firm Conaway & Strickler, P.C., has been aggressively defending clients accused of serious offenses throughout Atlanta and the entire State of Georgia. If you have been charged with a theft related crime in Georgia, you are in need of superior representation and should contact our office right away and discuss your case with one of our skilled theft defense lawyers. Contact Conaway, Strickler, & Margolis, P.C. today for a free consultation with an Atlanta theft defense lawyer.

There are a variety of Federal and Georgia State laws which have been enacted to severely punish people convicted of theft related crimes. Crimes involving the theft of another person's belongings are taken very seriously in Georgia and the legal repercussions are very harsh. Depending upon the accusations you are facing, and the monetary worth of the alleged stolen goods, you may be charged with a felony or misdemeanor and have to serve a jail or prison term and pay expensive monetary fines.

Theft crimes may include any of the following:

• Theft by shoplifting
• Theft by taking
• Theft by receiving
• Theft by conversion
• Receiving stolen property

Listed below are various Georgia theft related codes, which may provide you with some information:

According to Georgia Code 16-8-2 "A person commits the offense of theft by taking when he unlawfully takes or, being in lawful possession thereof, unlawfully appropriates any property of another with the intention of depriving him of the property, regardless of the manner in which the property is taken or appropriated."

Georgia Code 16-8-2 16-8-4 (a) states that "A person commits the offense of theft by conversion when, having lawfully obtained funds or other property of another including, but not limited to, leased or rented personal property, under an agreement or other known legal obligation to make a specified application of such funds or a specified disposition of such property, he knowingly converts the funds or property to his own use in violation of the agreement or legal obligation. This Code section applies whether the application or disposition is to be made from the funds or property of another or from the accused´s own funds or property in equivalent amount when the agreement contemplates that the accused may deal with the funds or property of another as his own."

According to Georgia Code 16-8-7(a) "A person commits the offense of theft by receiving stolen property when he receives, disposes of, or retains stolen property which he knows or should know was stolen unless the property is received, disposed of, or retained with intent to restore it to the owner. 'Receiving' means acquiring possession or control or lending on the security of the property. (b) In any prosecution under this Code section it shall not be necessary to show a conviction of the principal thief."

Georgia Code 16-8-14 (a) states that "A person commits the offense of theft by shoplifting when he alone or in concert with another person, with the intent of appropriating merchandise to his own use without paying for the same or to deprive the owner of possession thereof or of the value thereof, in whole or in part, does any of the following:

(1) Conceals or takes possession of the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(2) Alters the price tag or other price marking on goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(3) Transfers the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment from one container to another;
(4) Interchanges the label or price tag from one item of merchandise with a label or price tag for another item of merchandise; or
(5) Wrongfully causes the amount paid to be less than the merchant's stated price for the merchandise."

If you have been charged with any type of theft related crime, you should hire an experienced Atlanta theft defense attorney to ensure that your case is represented by skilled and aggressive professionals. We will use our knowledge of Georgia criminal law to have your case dismissed, charges lessened, or attain an alternative sentence.