ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Theft Defense | Haskell & Dyer
In a Theft Case, the Value Sets the Charge. That Number Is Worth Fighting Over.
Maryland grades theft by the value of what was taken, so the same charge can be a minor misdemeanor or a serious felony. We challenge the claimed value, the intent, and whether the State can actually tie the property to you.
Before You Say Anything
Do not explain the value or how you got it.
Whether you meant to give something back, what you thought it was worth, whose property it really was, all of it can become evidence on value and intent. With the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony riding on those facts, stay quiet, ask for a lawyer, and call before you say a word.
Why Value Decides Everything
One Charge, a Wide Range of Outcomes
Maryland consolidated theft into a single offense graded by value. Where the dollar amount lands often matters more than anything else in the case.
Lower Value
Misdemeanor territory. Smaller dollar amounts are charged as misdemeanors, but a conviction still leaves a theft offense on your record.
Mid Range
Higher misdemeanor or felony exposure. As the claimed value rises, so do the penalties, and the line between misdemeanor and felony comes into play.
High Value
Felony theft. Larger amounts are charged as felonies, with serious prison exposure and a felony record. Inflated valuations can push a case into this range unfairly.
Two Things the State Must Prove
Value and Intent
Theft is not just about whether something was taken. The State has to prove two things, and both are open to challenge.
The Number
The Value Claimed
The State has to prove what the property was actually worth, and that figure drives the charge. Estimates are often inflated, based on retail price rather than real value, or simply unsupported. We press hard on it.
The Mindset
Intent to Deprive
Theft requires an intent to permanently deprive the owner. A borrowed item, a billing dispute, an honest mistake, or a claim of right is not theft, and if intent is missing, the charge can fail.
What We Handle
Common Theft Charges
Theft covers a wide range of situations. We handle the full span.
Theft under the felony threshold
Felony theft
Theft of property
Theft of services
Employee or workplace theft
Theft by deception
Unauthorized use
Continuing course of theft
What's at Stake
A Theft Conviction Reaches Past the Sentence
The penalty is one thing. A theft on your record is another, and it can follow you.
Record
A theft conviction that shows on background checks
Felony
Possible felony exposure on higher value cases
Jobs
A crime of dishonesty that employers weigh heavily
Restitution
Responsibility for the claimed value of the property
How We Defend a Theft Charge
Value and intent set the charge. We attack both, along with whether the State can tie the theft to you at all.
We Challenge the Value
An inflated or unsupported valuation can push a misdemeanor into a felony. We press for the real, provable value.
We Attack Intent
A mistake, a dispute, or a claim of right is not theft. We show where the intent to permanently deprive is missing.
We Test the Link
Mistaken identity, weak video, and shaky witnesses are common. We challenge whether the State can tie the taking to you.
We Pursue a Clean Result
Where it fits, we work toward dismissal, diversion, or probation before judgment that keeps a conviction off your record.
Common Questions
Theft Charges, Answered
How is the value of the property decided, and why does it matter so much?
Value sets the charge in Maryland theft cases, deciding whether you face a misdemeanor or a felony. The State often relies on retail prices or estimates that overstate what something was really worth. Challenging an inflated valuation is one of the most direct ways to bring a theft charge down.
I meant to give it back. Is that still theft?
Theft requires an intent to permanently deprive the owner. If you genuinely intended to return the property, or borrowed it, that intent may be missing, and the State has to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The full circumstances of what you intended are central to the defense.
It was a dispute over who owned it. Can that be a defense?
It can. A genuine claim of right, an honest belief that the property was yours or that you were entitled to it, can undercut the intent theft requires. These situations come up in disputes over shared property, wages, and belongings, and they are worth raising directly.
Is a first time theft charge serious?
It can be, because theft is a crime of dishonesty that employers and others weigh heavily on a background check. The good news is that first time, lower value cases often qualify for diversion or probation before judgment that keep a conviction off your record, and we push hard for those outcomes.
Can a felony theft charge be reduced to a misdemeanor?
Often, yes. Because the felony line turns on value, getting the case below the threshold, by challenging an inflated valuation or the evidence behind it, can bring a felony down to a misdemeanor. That shift can change everything about the exposure and the outcome.
Charged With Theft? The Value and the Intent Are Worth Fighting.
Where the value lands can mean the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony. Tell us what happened and get an honest read on your defense. The first conversation is free.
Arrested after hours? Call our 24/7 line: 240-687-0179
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC
Fax: 301-627-5848
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