Shoplifting Under $100

Legal Definition

A person commits shoplifting by willfully taking possession of, carrying away, transferring, or causing to be carried away merchandise displayed, held, stored, or offered for sale by a store or merchant with the intention of depriving the merchant of the merchandise or its full retail value. The offense includes altering, transferring, or removing price tags or labels, or transferring merchandise from one container to another, with intent to deprive the merchant of the full retail value.

Possible Punishment

Up to 6 months in county jail and a fine up to $500. The court may also order restitution to the merchant for the retail value of the merchandise and any actual damages incurred.

Property-Crime Cases in Doña Ana County

Property charges in New Mexico scale with dollar value and circumstances. The same shoplifting conduct can be a petty misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value of what was taken, and burglary escalates sharply when the structure is a home or someone is inside. That is why our charge database lists several versions of larceny and burglary with different classifications.

Property cases also drive a large share of repeat bookings: failure to appear on an older larceny case frequently brings someone back into the detention center on a bench warrant alongside any new charge.

Related Guides