New Brunswick Shoplifting Attorney

 

Shoplifting Defense Lawyers in New Brunswick, NJ

Shoplifting charges are filed every day in towns and cities throughout New Jersey, but few towns see more shoplifting charges than New Brunswick, the county seat of Middlesex County. Many people are drawn to the seat of Middlesex County, New Brunswick, an Urban Enterprise Zone, where shoppers enjoy a sales rate slashed in half to draw in shoppers to the busy shopping centers. But even with the discounted sales tax rate, New Brunswick is riddled with shoplifting.  If you have been arrested for shoplifting in New Brunswick, it is important to understand shoplifting offenses generally, the types of stores where they typically occur, how the degree and severity of shoplifting charges are determined, and the court where your New Brunswick shoplifting case will likely be adjudicated. When you need an attorney to aggressively combat your shoplifting charges, our local defense lawyers can help. We have handled countless retail theft cases in New Brunswick and throughout Middlesex County, with a commitment to achieving top results in each and every client’s case. Call (732) 659-9600 or contact us online for a free consultation with a New Brunswick shoplifting lawyer near you.

Charged with Shoplifting in New Brunswick, New Jersey

New Brunswick has a number of unique characteristics that result a massive number of shoplifting cases in the town each year. First, New Brunswick has numerous retailers. Large corporate retailers like Walmart and stores that carry relatively high-value but easily transportable items like Best Buy and Victoria’s Secret all tend to aggressively prosecute shoplifters, and you can find these types of retailers all over New Brunswick. One New Brunswick Walmart was hit by a shoplifter 7 times in a month, yielding $6,000.00 worth of electronics. Second, New Brunswick is the home to Rutgers University. College students tend to be strapped for cash and more open to taking risks, which can include shoplifting a new iPad or some other retail item from the shelf, leading to more shoplifting, more arrests, and more charges in the town. Finally, New Brunswick is the seat of Middlesex County and has two courthouses, New Brunswick Municipal Court and Middlesex County Superior Court. As a result, the New Brunswick Municipal Court and the Middlesex County Superior Court see a great number of shoplifting cases. Serious shoplifting incidents charged as indictable offenses from all over the county are heard at the Middlesex County Superior Court, increasing the number of shoplifting cases charged and tried in New Brunswick.

Determining the Degree of a New Brunswick Shoplifting Charge

There are two main categories of shoplifting charges in New Jersey: disorderly persons offenses and indictable offenses. A disorderly persons offense for shoplifting is the least severe of these charges. If your arrest involved allegedly stolen merchandise that has a value at or under $200, you will be charged with a disorderly persons offense. If you are convicted, you may face up to $1,000 in fines and 6 months in the Middlesex County county jail.

If however, you allegedly stole items valued at more than $200, you may face an indictable offense, which can be graded as a second degree, third degree, or fourth degree crime. For shoplifting items valued at between $200 and $500, you will face a fourth degree indictable offense that exposes you to up to $10,000 in fines and 18 months in prison. You may be charged with a third degree offense for shoplifting items valued at between $500 and $75,000. Upon conviction for 3rd degree shoplifting, you face up to $15,000 in fines and three to five years in prison. Finally, if you are arrested for shoplifting merchandize valued at $75,000 or more, you face up to $150,000 in fines and five to ten years in prison for a second degree crime.

Where will my Shoplifting Case in New Brunswick be Handled?

If you are charged with a disorderly persons shoplifting offense in New Brunswick, your case will be heard in New Brunswick Municipal Court, which court routinely handles local traffic offenses and disorderly offense charges like yours. If, on the other hand, you are charged with a fourth, third, or second degree indictable offense, your case will be heard in Middlesex County Superior Court, along with all the other indictable offenses charged throughout Middlesex County.

New Brunswick Shoplifting Attorney Needed

If you find yourself facing any type of shoplifting charge in New Brunswick, you should find the most experienced lawyer you can who regularly handles shoplifting cases in New Brunswick itself and has handled numerous retail theft charges throughout their career. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us now to consult with a knowledgeable attorney about your case. (732) 659-9600. Our consultations are always provided free of charge.