Theft is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when someone takes something from another, with the intention of never giving it back. A man was recently caught on security camera taking something from a local restaurant, something that truly speaks to the times – hand sanitizer. According to the news report, the man was in a Thai restaurant and no one was at the front monitoring, so he reached over the counter and took the hand sanitizer that was sitting there. The restaurant owners released the video, but did not contact the police to report the Theft. However, if they had, the man could have faced criminal charges for stealing what was probably a $3 item.
Larimer County Theft Lawyer: Definition of Theft in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Theft – C.R.S. 18-4-401 – is:
(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.
Most commonly, Theft is charged under subsection (1)(a) taking something with the intention of not returning it. This would cover stealing from a store or a person.
Sentence for Hand Sanitizer Theft in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Theft is:
- A class 1 petty offense if the value of the thing involved is less than fifty dollars;
- A class 3 misdemeanor if the value of the thing involved is fifty dollars or more but less than three hundred dollars;
- A class 2 misdemeanor if the value of the thing involved is three hundred dollars or more but less than seven hundred fifty dollars;
- A class 1 misdemeanor if the value of the thing involved is seven hundred fifty dollars or more but less than two thousand dollars;
- A class 6 felony if the value of the thing involved is two thousand dollars or more but less than five thousand dollars;
- A class 5 felony if the value of the thing involved is five thousand dollars or more but less than twenty thousand dollars;
- A class 4 felony if the value of the thing involved is twenty thousand dollars or more but less than one hundred thousand dollars;
- A class 3 felony if the value of the thing involved is one hundred thousand dollars or more but less than one million dollars; and
- A class 2 felony if the value of the thing involved is one million dollars or more.
So, if the man had been reported, he would have been facing a petty offense for his hand sanitizer Theft.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Theft, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule your free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
Photo by EVG photos from Pexels