Shoplifting $2500 To $20000
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. When the value of the merchandise taken is between $2,500 and $20,000, the offense is elevated from a petty misdemeanor to a felony. The statute covers concealing merchandise, altering price tags, transferring goods between containers, or removing shopping carts from the premises with intent to deprive the owner.
Possible Punishment
Basic sentence of 18 months imprisonment; fine up to $5,000. Upon release, a mandatory period of parole applies. Shoplifting is classified by the aggregate value of merchandise taken: merchandise valued at $2,500 to $20,000 constitutes a fourth degree felony, while amounts under $250 are petty misdemeanors, $250 to $2,500 are misdemeanors, and over $20,000 are third degree felonies.
Local Context
The value thresholds in New Mexico's shoplifting statute create a tiered system of penalties. Repeat offenses and organized retail theft may trigger enhanced charges. Restitution to the merchant is typically ordered in addition to any criminal penalty.
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
Misdemeanor vs. Felony in New Mexico: Sentences, Courts, and Consequences
How New Mexico separates petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and felony degrees: sentence ranges, jail vs. prison, habitual enhancements, and collateral costs.
Bench Warrants and Failure to Appear in New Mexico: How a Missed Court Date Becomes a Booking
What a bench warrant is, how it differs from an arrest warrant, why FTA bookings fill the Doña Ana County jail log, and how to clear a warrant before arrest.
Recent Arrests for This Charge (2)
Information provided for general reference. Statutory text is summarized and may not reflect the most recent amendments. All persons listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty.