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Theft Solicitors

 

Theft is a serious criminal offence which can result in substantial penalties for anyone who is convicted. If you are facing theft charges, having the right legal team by your side to support you can make a significant difference to your prospects of achieving a positive outcome for your case. Many regulated professions will be affected by such a conviction or caution, or you could lose your job.

At JD Spicer Zeb, our expert criminal defence solicitors have substantial expertise in handling cases involving allegations of theft. In every instance, we will be able to efficiently assess your situation, advise you on the best defence strategy and represent you during any criminal proceedings that follow.

Our team’s skill and commitment has ensured that we have consistently achieved positive outcomes for our clients, including helping them to avoid charges, have charges dropped, and secure not guilty verdicts in court. If avoiding conviction is not possible, we will take every possible measure to minimise any sentences handed out.

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Why choose JD Spicer Zeb?

  • 1000s Cases Dropped
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  • 100s Years Combined Experience
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Recent Cases

There is limited recourse for you if you are falsely accused. Click a selection of the cases we have covered. The best thing you can do is to instruct an excellent solicitor from the outset.

Read more cases

While you will have the opportunity to work with a duty solicitor at the time of your arrest for theft, we strongly believe that our team’s experience and skills will make a significant difference when it comes to your chances of securing a positive outcome.

Regardless of the situation, we always advise that you do not speak to the police without a solicitor being present.

Our theft solicitors provide:

  • 24/7 legal support in person and over the phone, 365 days a year
  • Representation anywhere in England or Wales
  • Accredited Police Station Representatives to support you during a police interview
  • Clear, effective legal advice in any language (see our languages spoken)

How can we help?

Common questions

We always work with the most experienced and best leading UK barristers, KCs (Kings Counsel). We cover all criminal cases 24/7 at the police station and court. Offices in London, Birmingham, and Manchester cover cases across England and Wales. We can offer Legal Aid and affordable Private fee agreements. We can see you the same day, including virtually. Our Senior Partners supervise all of our cases.

How quickly do you respond?

We respond quickly even during out of hours. We do not get our work by paying for online adverts but based on the fact that few criminal law firms can match our 45 years of experience. Most of our cases are still from word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied clients. We are called daily by dissatisfied clients from firms with less experience than us. We respond very quickly to new enquiries. We know what clients seek and so we update clients rapidly.

Can you get cases dropped?

Yes, read about the recent cases we've helped our clients with here.

We always keep you updated and give straightforward advice. We will get cases dropped early where the case is weak or should not be prosecuted. We will be upfront with you about where you can benefit from a good result with an early guilty plea, such as a discount on your sentence. As we work on cases across all levels with clients from all walks of life, we are excellent at giving clear, spot-on advice. As an established firm, we can allocate a whole team to your case often at short notice to secure evidence to minimise the damage to you. 

Have you won any awards?

OUR PROFESSIONAL BODY THE LAW SOCIETY AWARDED US IN OCTOBER 2020 WITH THE EXCELLENCE IN CLIENT SERVICE AWARD AND STATED - 

"JD Spicer Zeb demonstrated a clear commitment to client service through their work with vulnerable and diverse individuals in what can be severely traumatic circumstances".

Do you offer free consultations?

Where it is possible, we aim to provide an initial consultation to you. If we can speak to you, we can if required inform you about  –

  • Whether we can take the case on and our relevant experience.
  • Public and private funding benefits.
  • Assistance in applying for legal aid where we are likely to accept instructions.
  • An outline of options in police interview only. We will not advise you on which option to adopt.
  • Providing our free written guide explaining the police station process.
  • The gravity of routine and day-to-day offences you face.
  • Consequences of not attending the court or police station.
  • Consequences of interfering with any witnesses.
  • Retaining any evidence in support of your case.
  • If possible an outline of the elements of the offence that the police or CPS must prove.
  • This consultation will normally be by telephone or email and will only be for as long as we deem necessary to establish if we can act for you. If we cannot usefully give you any advice in this manner then we will not continue with the consultation. We will not discuss the case in depth for you to be able to decide on your plea or any significant aspect of the case, as this cannot be undertaken informally.
  • Referring you, if possible, to other firms for matters out of our specialism or if we cannot help.

Consultations do not apply to the following cases –

  • If we do not intend to take the case on.
  • Road Traffic cases, drink driving, drug driving, driving bans, speeding, no insurance, mobile phone use, points etc.
  • In all cases where we do not have the capacity to take your case or the availability of suitably qualified staff to provide an initial free consultation. This is applicable in all cases but especially where a more senior lawyer is required because of your personal needs or the complexity of the case.
  • Harassment/stalking/ coercive behaviour/malicious communications or road traffic cases and most sensitive cases. These cases are often too complicated to assess in short consultations.
  • The locations concerned may be too distant to represent you adequately or it may not be cost-effective for you or us.
  • The case is too complicated to assess or raises various charges or facts, complexity, or history to be considered informally or in a short consultation.
  • In most Legal aid transfers where legal aid is granted to another firm except in very grave cases, we may assess the case and merits for a transfer.
  • If your relationship has broken down with your existing solicitor or several solicitors.
  • If you have been released under investigation and have already had a police station attendance. 
  • If you hold legal aid with another firm and seek a second opinion.
  • If you are calling on behalf of the client as a friend or family member unless you have full authority and full facts.
  • To businesses.
  • Advising whether you were given good advice by your other solicitor.
  • Whether to decide to plead guilty or not guilty.
  • Whether you have an arguable defence in law or factually complicated defences.
  • Any advice you have had after your first court appearance.
  • Any advice on appeal on conviction or sentence.
  • If we feel we are unable to communicate with you.
  • If we are likely to be conflicted or breach our professional rules.

Speak to our theft solicitors today

For a free initial consultation on your legal position and the available options, contact our local offices in London, Birmingham or Manchester.

For urgent advice at any time of day or night regarding a theft charge, please call our Emergency Number 07836 577 556.

Our expertise with theft charges

At JD Spicer Zeb, our theft solicitors can offer you:

  • A criminal defence team that has over 45 years of experience, including on a wide range of theft offences
  • A depth and breadth of skills that ensure every detail is carefully considered during a theft case, so you can be certain you have the strongest possible defence
  • Clear, straightforward advice in a language that you understand, so you can be sure of the steps that need to be taken and what your rights are
  • A team that are in your corner and are ready to fight for your fair treatment
  • An excellent track record of achieving positive outcomes for our clients under even the most difficult circumstances
  • Established relationships with leading criminal defence barristers across the country
  • Close personal support through every stage of criminal proceedings
  • Law Society accreditation for Criminal Litigation reflecting our specialist expertise
  • Lexcel accreditation for the high standards of our legal practice

Pre-charge bail

If you are interviewed under caution for theft, you may be released on pre-charge bail (also simply referred to as ‘being released on bail’). Pre-charge bail will usually be granted if the police are still conducting their investigation and they need to obtain further evidence before they may a charging decision.

If you are released on pre-charge bail, you will normally be subject to various bail conditions e.g. not being able to go to certain places, contact certain people and/or being required to attend the police station on a certain day.

To find out more in relation to pre-charge bail, please use the links provided below:

Fees and Funding

From the outset, we are always transparent when it comes to costs.

Legal aid public funding may be available in some cases and will depend on the seriousness of the case, your current financial situation and whether it justifies the grant of public funding.

For clients that do not qualify for public funding, the alternative option will be to fund a case privately.

To find out more about the way we handle fees (both legal aid public funding and private fees), please use the links provided below:

Related offences

Please note that our expert solicitors also provide advice and support with various related matters, including:

Common questions about theft

What is theft?

Under Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968, theft is described as:

“The dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive the other of it”

In more simple terms, theft is the act stealing someone’s property but without the use of force.

What other offences are classified under the Theft Act?

Additional offences which are classified under the Theft Act include:

  • Robbery (Section 8 of the Theft Act)
  • Burglary (Sections 9 and 10 of the Theft Act)
  • Handling stolen goods (Section 22 of the Theft Act)
  • Going equipped to steal or commit burglary with intent to steal (Section 25 of the Theft Act)

Given that there is often a very wide interpretation of the different elements of theft, and the other offences that fall under the Theft Act, there is also some overlap with offences that fall under the Fraud Act 2006.

For example, if a case involves an instance where someone has allegedly ‘tricked’ someone into parting with their possession, then a charge will often be brought under the Fraud Act.

What is the difference between theft, burglary, fraud and robbery?

Differentiating between theft, burglary, fraud and robbery is not difficult. To summarise:

  • Theft involves taking someone’s property but without the use of force
  • Burglary involves illegally entering a property to steal something
  • Fraud involves the use of deception to acquire money, services or property
  • Robbery involves stealing from a person using force, or threatening to use force

How is theft proven in court?

To demonstrate that an act of theft took place, the prosecution will need to illustrate five key elements, these being:

  • Dishonesty
  • Appropriation
  • The involvement of an item of property
  • The property belongs to someone else
  • The intention to permanently deprive the owner of the property

What defences can be used in court?

The defences that may be available to a theft charge will largely depend on the circumstances of the case and what evidence is being presented by the prosecution.

Common defences that could be used include:

  • Mistaken identity
  • Factual dispute as to circumstances
  • There was no intention to permanently deprive a victim of the item(s) in question
  • Participation was only due to threat or coercion
  • The property was yours and the matter is not criminal but a civil or family dispute

Piecing together a comprehensive defence that is tailored to your circumstances and the nature of the allegations you are facing is something our expert criminal defence solicitors will be able to help you with further.

What factors affect the sentencing guidelines for theft?

Sentencing guidelines for theft indicate that the maximum sentence you can receive is 7 years’ custody, while the offence range is between a discharge and 6 years’ custody.

If you are found guilty of theft, the sentence that will be handed out will be determined by culpability and harm.

Culpability is divided into three categories:

  • A – High Culpability
  • B – Medium Culpability
  • C – Lesser Culpability

Harm refers to the value of goods alleged to have been stolen and is divided into four categories:

  • Category 1
  • Category 2
  • Category 3
  • Category 4

The higher the category of culpability and harm, the more serious the sentence is likely to be for theft.

Contact our theft solicitors now

If you are due to attend the police station for interview, have been charged with theft, require any urgent specialist advice or immediate representation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

You can contact a member of our dedicated team of criminal defence lawyers in London, Birmingham, and Manchester by telephone on:

Or email: solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk

Alternatively, you can fill out our quick online enquiry form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

24/7 legal representation for theft

Please get in touch for a free initial consultation with one of our experts in defences, as well as for immediate advice and representation.

For immediate representation and advice, you can contact our Emergency Number: 07836 577 556 and we will provide you with the urgent assistance you need.

How can we help?