By: Avery Hopper
Petty Larceny a term used in many states for theft of a small amount of money. Or objects of little value (such as less than $500). It is distinguished from grand larceny which is theft of property of greater worth, which is a felony punishable by a term in state prison. Petty larceny is a misdemeanor punishable at maximum with a term in the county jail. States which only use the term "larceny," often treat theft of a smaller amounts as a misdemeanor in sentencing. The crimes you now face are misdemeanor offenses in New York as long as the value of the property does not exceed $1000 (with some exceptions). hether the property was a $750 watch or a $5 pair of socks, the misdemeanor crimes of Petit Larceny (NY PL 155.25) or Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 5th Degree (NY PL 165.40) are the two charges you will be facing and addressing with your New York criminal defense lawyer. The “shoplifting misdemeanors” are punishable by up to one year in jail and are just as serious under the law as misdemeanor Assault, Criminal Mischief and even Forgery. According to New York Penal Law Section 155.25, a person is guilty of Petit Larceny when he steals property. Although jail in New York City is rarely associated with these crimes for first time offenders, the bigger issue is avoiding the criminal record at all. Grand Larceny and Petty Larceny are two different things. Some people get those two things mixed up but Grand Larceny is a bigger offense. Grand Larceny is, if you steal property valued in excess of $1,000 - money, cars, antiques, clothing, etc. - through Embezzlement, Extortion, false promise, trick or any other scheme, you will be charged with Grand Larceny. If you steal from multiple people or entities in amounts less than $1,000, prosecutors may still be able to aggregate the illegal proceeds you obtained for a felony charge of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property . Alternatively, if your alleged theft consisted of