Shoplifting defense attorneys in Brockton, MA

Massachusetts Shoplifting Over 250 Dollars Attorneys serving Massachusetts and the Greater Boston.

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Theft Crimes And Shoplifting Defense Lawyers

Generally speaking, there are two forms of shoplifting:

  • Shoplifting merchandise with a value under $250; and
  • Shoplifting merchandise with a value over $250.

Criminal Penalties for Shoplifting

The penalties for shoplifting depend on the value of the merchandise stolen:

  • If the total value of the merchandise is less than $250, a first-time offender is subject to a $250 fine, a second-time offender a $500 fine and a third-time offender faces a fine and or imprisonment in a jail for not more than two years.
  • If the value of the goods stolen is more than $250, the penalties are more serious: up to 30 months in jail and a $1,000 fine, even for a first-time offender.

Being Charged With Larceny, or Grand Larceny

If the value of the stolen merchandise exceeds $250 but is under $1,200 then district attorney may choose to charge the suspect with larceny. If the value of the stolen merchandise exceeds $250 and is over $1,200 the district attorney may choose to charge the suspect with grand larceny, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine, rather than with shoplifting.

A shoplifting charge will remain on your permanent record as soon as you are arraigned in front of a judge. Having a shoplifting charge on your record can effect your ability to get and keep a job or obtain a loan or mortgage. Most of the time shoplifting charges can be dismissed prior to the arraignment. This is done at a clerk magistrates hearing. Usually you will be mailed a notice for a clerk magistrates hearing in the mail. At the clerks hearing your attorney can argue that the complaint for shoplifting should not be issued. If the complaint isn’t issued then there is no arraignment. If the case gets dismissed at a clerk’s hearing then the charge won’t appear on your record. This is why it is extremely important to hire an attorney to represent you at a clerk magistrates hearing.

Types of Shoplifting Crimes in Massachusetts

Our criminal defense attorneys have the experience to defend you against an array of shoplifting crimes including:

Stores That Prosecute

Retail merchants are businesses that sell goes or products in small quantities directly to customers. Retail merchants sell goods in ordinary stores open to the public, as opposed to selling in bulk to business but not directly to the public. Because retailers lose billions each year to theft and shoplifting, retail stores aggressively pursue anyone suspected of or caught shoplifting.

The following is a list of examples of retail merchants in Southeastern Massachusetts that press charges against suspected shoplifters:

  • Retail Clothing Stores: Filene’s, Walmart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Marshall’s, TJ Max, Gap, JC Penny, Dick’s, Bed and Bath Foot Locker,
  • Retail Electronics Stores: Best Buy, Apple Store, Circuit City, RadioShack, Sears.
  • Hardware Stores: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware.
  • Pharmacies: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid.
  • Convenience Stores: Cumberland Farms, Tedeschi’s, 7-Eleven, Modile.
  • Supermarkets: Stop & Shop, Market Basket, Shaw’s Roche Bros, BJ’s, Trucchi’s, Hannaford’s.

Free Consultation With Experienced Brockton Shoplifting Defense Lawyers

If you have been charged with shoplifting, you need an attorney at your side who knows the ins and outs of Massachusetts’ complicated larceny laws. If you’re a first-time offender, the experts at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan may be able to have the charges dismissed entirely and erased from your permanent record, usually in exchange for a fine and a period of probation. More serious, or repeat, charges of shoplifting may be negotiable with the district attorney, since it’s very rare that shoplifting cases are brought all the way to a judge or jury.

No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call our Massachusetts Shoplifting Charge Attorney at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at (508) 588-0422 and you will have taken your first step to find out how best to confront this important matter. You can also click here to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.


Our Boston Shoplifting Over $250 Defense Lawyer represents residents of Plymouth County including Brockton, Abington, Bridgewater, Whitman, Hanson, Hingham, Wareham, Halifax, Middleborough, Rockland, Lakeville, Holbrook, Avon, Kingston, Pembroke, Plympton, Pembroke, Hanover, Carver, Duxbury, Marshfield, Norwell, Hanover, Scituate, East/West Bridgewater, Rochester, Marion, Mattapoisett; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Wrentham, Foxborough, Franklin, Walpole; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Norton; Cape Cod, Falmouth, Barnstable; Middlesex County including Cambridge, Lowell, Somerville, Newton, Framingham, Malden, Chelsea, Everett, Arlington, Medford and Waltham; and the Greater Boston area including South Boston, Worcester, Framingham, Woburn, Lynn, Lawrence, Salem, Dedham, Revere, Dorchester and Roxbury.