Theft By Deception

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New Jersey Theft By Deception Lawyers

Simply being accused to theft by deception alone can be devastating enough to someone’s life, let alone being convicted. If you or someone you know has been charged with theft by deception, theft of moveable property, shoplifting, receiving stolen property or any other theft related offense in New Jersey, it is imperative that you contact a knowledgeable defense attorney as soon as possible. Like most other theft related offenses, theft by deception is a hybrid offense. Meaning that it can be considered either a disorderly persons offense (misdemeanor) or an indictable (felony) offense. For more information on the different degrees, please see below.

Proetta & Oliver defends those accused of theft by deception in courts throughout New Jersey, including the Morris County Superior Court, the Middlesex County Superior Court, the Middletown Municipal Court, the Union Count Superior Court, the Brick Municipal Court and the Hudson County Superior Court. If you would like to set up a free initial consultation today with one of our New Jersey criminal lawyers, then please contact our office at (732) 856-9959. One of our attorneys would glad to sit down and speak one-on-one with you so that we can discuss the specific facts of your case in depth. Theft by deception is a serious criminal charge and more often than not, it is considered a felony offense. As such, we strongly recommend that you do not take the charges lightly and contact an experienced criminal lawyer as soon as possible. Now here is some more information on theft by deception charges in New Jersey.

Charged with Theft By Deception in New Brunswick NJ?

NJSA 2C:20-4 is the governing statute in New Jersey for theft by deception and it states in pertinent part that “a person is guilty of theft if he purposely obtains property of another by deception.” So, in layman terms, theft by deception in essence seeks to prosecute those accused of using some form of deception in order to commit a theft offense. Establishing deception can prove to be problematic at times for the prosecution and this is where an experienced criminal lawyer can make a difference. In order to prove deception, the state may seek to establish the following:

  • That the Defendant created or reinforced a false impression which the victim relied upon;
  • That the Defendant prevented the victim from learning information that would have affect their decision making process; or
  • That the Defendant purposely failed to correct a false impression.

With that being said, it is important to note here that it will not be considered deception if the Defendant uses “puffery” or “exaggeration”, provided those statements would be considered unlikely to deceive ordinary persons.

Is Theft By Deception a Felony in New Jersey?

As touched upon above, theft by deception is a hybrid offense. It can be considered either a disorderly persons offense or a second, third or fourth degree felony offense. Like every other theft related offense in New Jersey, the value of the loss will dictate what degree a Defendant is actually charged with. Here is a breakdown:

  • 2nd Degree if the loss is $75,000 or more;
  • 3rd Degree if the loss exceeds $500.00 but is less than $75,000;
  • 4th Degree if the loss is at least $200.00, but does not exceed $500.00; or
  • Disorderly Persons Offense if the loss is less than $200.00.

Freehold NJ Theft By Deception Attorney

At Proetta & Oliver we fully comprehend the stress that most feel when they have been charged with a criminal offense, especially a serious felony offense like theft by deception. As such, our office is dedicated to trying to make this process as painless as possible, by making sure that we thoroughly keep our clients apprised of any updates throughout their case.   If you would like to speak to one of our New Jersey criminal defense attorneys today about your options, then please contact our office at 800-463-0506 or you can try contacting us online. As always, our initial consultations are free of costs. So if you have any questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our office serves all of New Jersey including, Somerset County, Ocean County, Bergen County, Monmouth County, Mercer County as well as Union County.