Shoplifting $500 To $2500

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 possession, use, benefit, or full retail value. When the aggregate value of the merchandise is more than five hundred dollars ($500) but not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), the offense is elevated from a petty misdemeanor to a fourth degree felony.

Possible Punishment

Basic sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine up to $5,000. Upon completion of any prison sentence, the offender is subject to a mandatory period of parole of one year. Restitution to the merchant for the full retail value of the merchandise may also be ordered.

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.

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