Shoplifting is a serious crime and is considered equivalent to theft. If caught red-handed under the act of promoting shoplifting, there can be severe charges for you. This can include paying a certain amount of penalty, a sentence of being imprisoned for an amount of time, or whatever the court may decide.
If you have been caught shoplifting, whether intentional or unintentional, before the matter reaches court, you must try to neutralize it there. But if not, you will need a criminal defence lawyer in Vancouver either to rebut the incident or to plea for a bargain.
Different defenses can be used.
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The shoplifting accident.
When a person takes something of a particular value from a shop without actually paying, that person may suffer the consequences. This may lead to getting charged with theft that could conclude with conviction. However, the matter concludes that it is essential to consult a criminal defense lawyer and protect yourself from the charges to invoke your rights. You will need a lawyer to present you and the case to bargain for a plea or lower the charges you have.
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Defence based on the intentions.
The elements of the crime need to be present before your legal team gets to work. Your legal team will need to counter each argument raised and challenged by the prosecution. The initial element of the case is the possession of the item without paying its total value to the owner. The other is the permanent loss of the article without the owner’s consent. The significant subject here is intent. Since there is no purpose to carry out either requirement, the plaintiff has a good argument.
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Witness testimony.
This is one of the best ways to defend yourself against your shoplifting conviction. For several offenses, the argument of mistaken identification is valid, and the attorney will utilize the event against the eyewitness. The legal team will interrogate the witness as much as possible to get more information about the incident. This will assist them in structuring the case so that they can defend you or call for a plea deal.
If there is no intent to steal anything, you can solve the case in its initial stages. But getting a lawyer on board on your side will save you plenty of time and the hassle of going through all the legal procedures and documents. Your criminal defence lawyer will also guide you by giving you the best possible advice after going through your case.