Theft is defined in Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Parker as taking something from someone with the intention of not giving it back. There are many different forms theft can take. It can be charged after a person takes a lipstick off the shelf and puts it in their pocket, not intending to pay. Theft charges can stem from keeping a borrowed item. Or, these charges can come from far more elaborate schemes. A former Mrs. America had quite the Theft scheme, as she was buying pricey clothing from Macy’s, bringing it home, and reattaching the expensive clothing’s tags to clothes she already owned. She would return her old clothes to the store and get the expensive prices refunded to her card. She was charged with theft for the $5,800 in fraudulent returns.
Douglas County Theft Attorney: What is the Definition of Price Tag Switch Theft?
The Douglas County, Colorado law definition of Theft – C.R.S. 18-4-401 – is:
“A person commits theft when he or she knowingly obtains, retains, or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization or by threat or deception; or receives, loans money by pawn or pledge on, or disposes of anything of value or belonging to another that he or she knows or believes to have been stolen, and:
(a) Intends to deprive the other person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value;
(b) Knowingly uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value in such manner as to deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;
(c) Uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value intending that such use, concealment, or abandonment will deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;
(d) Demands any consideration to which he or she is not legally entitled as a condition of restoring the thing of value to the other person; or
(e) Knowingly retains the thing of value more than seventy-two hours after the agreed-upon time of return in any lease or hire agreement.”
Sentence for Theft in Highland Ranch and Parker | Restitution After Stealing Convictions
Theft can be charged as a petty offense, misdemeanor, or felony depending on the value of the items taken. For the woman above, Theft for $5,800 would be a class 5 felony in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, and Parker punishable by up to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
