Charged With a Crime in North Brunswick, NJ? Call (732) 659-9600 for a Free Consultation With an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer Right Away.
A recent case exemplifies that slew of criminal charges that can result from a single incident in New Jersey. Late last Wednesday night, three men were arrested after robbing a warehouse in North Brunswick, NJ. After assaulting an unarmed security guard, the men entered the warehouse and stole over $1 million worth of cosmetics, while armed with a handgun. The police arrived on the scene quickly and pursued a fleeing suspect. The suspect crashed his vehicle and attempted to escape on foot but he was apprehended by police. Back at the warehouse, officers investigating the scene found the other two men hiding near the warehouse. Following the incident, the men were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, theft, robbery, burglary, resisting arrest and eluding.
Three of these charges—theft, robbery, and burglary—share similar elements, but are each distinct crimes that are often confused with one another. Depending on the circumstances, if you steal someone else’s property in New Jersey, you face the possibility of being charged with theft, robbery, and burglary and you can be convicted of all three crimes. Let’s take a look at the elements of each crimes and the differences between these offenses.
In New Jersey, you can be charged with theft if you unlawfully take someone else’s property with the intent to not return it. The severity of a theft charge will depend on the value of the property stolen. If the property is worth more than $200 but not more than $500, you may be charged with fourth degree theft. Third degree theft charges may be applied if you steal property worth $500 to $75,000, you steal a boat, horse, motor vehicle, animal or airplane, and other certain enumerated circumstances. You may be charged with second degree theft if the value of the stolen property is over $75,000 or the theft was perpetrated through extortion.
Robbery occurs when you use bodily force or threaten to use bodily force while committing theft, or if you commit or threaten to commit a first or second degree crime while or immediately after committing theft. In New Jersey, robbery is a second degree crime, unless while committing robbery you attempt to kill someone, purposely seriously injure someone, or you are armed with or use a deadly weapon—in which case, the conduct is a first degree crime.
In New Jersey, the crime of burglary involves entering a building where you do not have a right to be and that is not open to the public at the time you enter, with the intent to commit an offense there. Typically, burglary is a third degree crime. However, it may be charged as a second degree crime if you inflict serious injury on someone when committing the offense or you are armed with a deadly weapon.
Theft Defense Lawyers in North Brunswick, NJ
As you can see, it is possible for your conduct to be charged as numerous crimes, like in the recent incident described above. If you have been charged with theft, robbery, burglary, or any other criminal offense in North Brunswick, New Jersey, you are facing the possibility of significant jail time and fines. It is critical that you have your case reviewed by an experienced criminal lawyer. The lawyers at our firm are ready and available to determine what potential defenses may apply to your case. Call us today at (732) 659-9600 for a free consultation with an experienced North Brunswick criminal defense attorney.
