If someone intentionally or knowingly damages someone else’s property, he or she could be guilty of a property crime. In Indiana, damaging or defacing another’s property without the person’s consent is a Class B misdemeanor. However, property crimes can increase to felony charges under certain circumstances. As someone facing property crime charges in Indianapolis, don’t wait to talk to an attorney. Contact Banks & Brower as soon as possible after your arrest.
About Property Crimes in Indiana
The criminal law field of “property crimes” can encompass many different offenses relating to the destruction or theft of someone else’s property. Someone could be guilty of a lower level property crime, such as shoplifting a low-priced item, or a higher-level crime, such as arson. In Indiana, people guilty of property crimes could receive misdemeanor to felony convictions, along with jail time and costly fines. As a defendant in a property crime case in Indiana, here are a few things you should know:
- If police have arrested you for alleged shoplifting, theft, larceny, burglary, robbery, vandalism, or arson, expect that the prosecution will charge you with one or more property crimes. All these offenses fall under the umbrella of Indiana property crime law.
- The courts could convict you of a property crime even if you didn’t make away with the item. In many cases, the intent to commit a property crime alone is enough for a conviction, even if something or someone stopped you from actually taking the item or damaging the property in question.
- The penalties for property crimes increase with the severity of the crime and the value of the property damaged, destroyed, or stolen. For example, the sentence will be stronger for those convicted of armed robbery compared to robbery alone. It’s up to a skilled defense attorney to minimize the charges and penalties against you.
- If you receive a property crime conviction in which the pecuniary loss is below $750, you face a Class A misdemeanor. For losses between $750 and $49,999, your crime is a Level 6 felony – and if the pecuniary loss is $50,000 or higher, you face a Level 5 felony, with potential for jail time and fines up to $10,000.
Receiving a misdemeanor or felony conviction can cause trouble in your life, from making it difficult to get a job to limiting your constitutional rights. The best thing you can do is to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney who could potentially argue your charges down or convince the courts to dismiss the case against you. Protect yourself by retaining a great defense attorney from Banks & Brower immediately after a property crime arrest.
Why Trust Banks & Brower with Your Property Crime Defense?
The attorneys at Banks & Brower represent criminal defense clients all throughout Indiana. With former prosecutors in our firm, Banks & Brower is uniquely suited to represent criminal defendants, as they know exactly how the opposing side thinks.
Banks & Brower have proven results, with a long history of satisfied clients. In fact, the firm has the highest number of five-star Google reviews in Indianapolis. Clients trust the firm with simple to complex property crime cases because of its history of success, hard-working attorneys, and accessibility. Our criminal defense lawyers are available to clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They strive to exceed client expectations and to garner the best possible results for each client that comes to them for representation. Experience the Banks & Brower difference yourself – contact us for a free consultation about your Indianapolis property crime case.
