Andrew D. Stine, P.A. - Florida Criminal Defence Attorney

Experts have been reporting a strong decline in the number of car thefts over the past decade. This decline may be a result of new and improved security technology, better response rates on the side of law enforcement, or a variety of other reasons. However, the Palm Beach Post has recently published an article attesting that fun fact, after a near decade of declining car thefts, grand theft auto seems to be a crime on the rise yet again. More often than not, cars are stolen and used to commit other crimes, or are stripped and sold for parts.

Petty theft and grand theft are considered to be different solely on the value of the property or money stolen. You will be charged with petty theft if you have stolen property or money valuing less than $300. Greater than $300 is grand theft and is a felony. A felony conviction can cost you your rights as an average citizen. A man in Naples is in need of an experienced criminal defense lawyer because he has so many petty theft convictions on his record that his most recent theft escapade of $1 actually cost him a felony.

St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky has been arrested on grand theft charges. He posted a $2,500 bond Monday and is potentially facing time in prison if convicted. Grand theft is actually quite a common crime. Whether the act of theft is determined to be grand theft or petty theft determines on the value of the property or money stolen. If the money or value of the property stolen is greater than $300, it is considered grand theft with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years or more.

Animal cruelty laws in Florida are getting stricter. More and more animal sanctuary owner-operators are being charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty throughout Florida as law enforcement attempts to crack down on the crime. Animal cruelty is the deliberate harm or death of an animal cause by the intentional abuse or neglect of its owner or caregiver. Depending on the severity of the crime, animal cruelty can be charged as a felony with penalties including several years in prison.

Grand theft is defined as the unlawful stealing of another’s property that is valued at more than $300. If the property is less than $300, it is considered petty theft. Petty theft is usually the term used for shoplifters and other smaller crimes. Grand theft, of any kind, is considered a felony. The degree of the felony charge is dependent on the value of the stolen property.

For the past several months, law enforcement has seen a rise in metal thefts all across the county. Because of the serious increase in this particular crime, officials are wanting to crack down on thieves who target homes, restaurants, and even abandoned buildings. Task forces have been created in order to battle the ever popular and lucrative crime of metal theft. There are several different kinds of crimes committed involving metal theft, not only could the thief be charged with theft, but the buyer could be charged with dealing in stolen property.

According to police, the two men, one of them armed with a handgun, walked into the Comfort Inn at 2520 Stirling Road shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 14. One man reached over the counter for the cash register but was unable to locate it. On the surveillance video he can then be seen approaching a man and snatching his wallet before running away. The video shows the gunman jumping over the counter where police said he demanded cash from an employee.

Fort Lauderdale is a premium area for investors. Unfortunately, with the amount of money flowing through the city in investments and ventures, there is a significant amount of crime that follows suit. Organized scheme to defraud is a crime that seems to be a common white-collar crime that makes South Florida headlines. Thursday, a Fort Lauderdale man was arrested for running an $11 Million fraud.

It seems that we are hearing about cops committing crimes more often these days. It has been rumored that when police officers are charged with crimes, they suffer sentences that are much less severe than those of average citizens. This is evidenced by the fact that even when law enforcement officers are on leave after the crime surfaced, they are still paid.

Serious crimes committed by police officers usually make headlines, but for some reason the immediate consequences do not seem to be as harsh as it could potentially be for citizens that commit the same crime. Two Fort Lauderdale officers have been accused of grand theft, kidnapping, and lying about the case. The grand theft committed could potentially be charged as a third-degree felony. The crime gets even more complicated as the money stolen should have been placed in evidence.