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.

Fraud is a very serious crime in the state of Florida. The charges only increase in severity with the amount of money stolen by fraudulent actions. Unfortunately, fraud is one of the most common types of theft that happens on a daily basis. As technology develops, fraudulent schemes become more and more advanced. With advancing schemes, law enforcement are having a more difficult time tracking down criminals and the systems they are using. These days, credit card fraud and online identity theft is one of the biggest problems that the Economic Crimes Division has to deal with.

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.

Many times, when an arrest occurs and hits the media, the community has the ability to influence the outcome of the case. When community members believe that the arrest was wrongfully conducted, people band together online or even in public in an attempt to rectify the situation. In this case, a 12-year-old boy was arrested for shoplifting. The catch is that the boy has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a highly-functioning level of autism. The mother of the child used Facebook to garner support from the community of people who understand the difficulty of raising a child with autism.

In the state of Florida, fraud is charged as a very serious crime. A person who commits fraud can be charged with anything from a third-degree felony to a first-degree felony depending on the amount of money taken by fraudulent means. Unfortunately, fraud and theft commonly happen in all areas of life. A story about a Suncoast HIgh School band leader made the news recently after he turned himself in for fraudulently using school funds for his personal expenses.

The price of copper is at its peak right now, which is causing a large spike in air conditioning thefts and burglary. South Florida is experiencing an immense amount of burglaries where criminals are specifically targeting homes, business, churches, schools, any building with access to an AC unit.

Happy 4th of July! Some people have not had such a good weekend so far. According to the Palm Beach Post, two men were carjacked and one was stuffed into the trunk late last night. Police are trying to figure out if this incident is part of the “bump and rob” trend that’s starting to become more commonplace in the West Palm Beach area lately.

Have you ever wondered what type of felony it is to steal from an elderly person? Because of their age, it is a very sensitive crime and depending on the amount, can be a first, second ,or third degree felony. According to an article in WPTV News, two women employed by the state have been caught taking advantage of an elderly woman and stealing from her while she was hospitalized for dementia.