On Saturday evening, two individuals walked into two different stores, grabbed several hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise, made zero attempt to pay, and walked right out the door, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department.
Fortunately, the NBPD has a strong partnership with local businesses, and they called them immediately. The responding police officers quickly located the suspects and took them into custody.
As it turns out… both suspects already had prior theft convictions.
Here are the likely penalties the suspects face under California law:
- Shoplifting (Penal Code §459.5)
- If the stolen merchandise is $950 or less, it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in county jail and fines up to $1,000.
- Grand Theft (Penal Code §487)
- If the value of stolen goods exceeds $950, the crime becomes grand theft, a “wobbler” that can be charged as either:
- Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year in county jail
- Felony: 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in state prison
- If the value of stolen goods exceeds $950, the crime becomes grand theft, a “wobbler” that can be charged as either:
- Repeat Theft Convictions (Proposition 36)
- With two or more prior theft-related convictions, even theft under $950 can now be charged as a felony, carrying up to 3 years in state prison.
- Organized Retail Theft (Penal Code §490.4)
- If prosecutors determine the suspects acted in concert or as part of an organized plan, penalties can include up to 1 year in county jail or felony sentencing under Section 1170(h), especially if aggregated theft exceeds $950 over multiple incidents.