A Florida woman has been taken into police custody for allegedly stealing from17 stores at several different malls. She faces felony charges for petit theft and for driving with a revoked or suspended license.
According to the report, police deputies conducted surveillance on groups that are well-known for theft. The woman was caught taking more than $2,500 worth of merchandise during the surveillance operation. The items were recovered when police conducted a traffic stop on the woman.
The police stated that the alleged shoplifter has been convicted on several occasions for retail theft. She allegedly removed the anti-theft devices and used accomplices to cause distractions to steal products in the past. The woman would then allegedly resell the property. At the time that she was taken into custody, she was allegedly out on bail for another offense.
Under Florida law, the woman may face up to one year in prison if she is convicted for petit theft, which is classified as a misdemeanor. Due to her prior conviction of other offenses, the punishments that she faces may be even more severe.
When it comes to theft, the severity of the charges and the resulting consequences depend on the value of the property that was taken. While being convicted for theft may result in substantial fines and even a jail sentence, the conviction may also cause an individual to lose the ability to obtain certain professional certificates and licenses. An experienced Florida attorney may be able to help their clients protect their rights by providing strong representation for them. In many cases, the attorney may be able to have the charges reduced if their client makes restitution to the business(s) they wronged.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Woman accued in thefts worth $,500 from Hillsborough malls“, Laura C. Morel, June 27, 2013