Stealing is regarded as a serious crime in many jurisdictions. If you're facing this charge, you could be jailed, fined, or have a criminal record created against your name. When people are arrested for larceny, one thing that comes to their thoughts is how they can get themselves out of this hook. The good news is that a criminal defense lawyer can use various arguments to make you free. In this article, you'll learn four arguments these lawyers use.

Claim of Ownership

You can use this defense if you are the owner of the property you allegedly stole. However, you need solid evidence showing that the property is yours. Examples of evidence that can be used in such a case include a sales receipt, a property insurance policy, and a mortgage agreement. lawyers know how to apply this argument and can get the right evidence for your case. If you're an employee accused of stealing from their employer, they'll show that you had the intent to return the property or that you believed you owned it.

Intoxication

If you can prove that you were intoxicated when the theft happened, you may get yourself out of the hook. Lawyers can use it to prove you had no intent to commit the crime, but your state of mind made you do it. To develop a solid case and corroborate your story, they may also use other pieces of evidence like toxicology reports or even testimonies from eyewitnesses.

Necessity

Sometimes, an individual may steal because they are in dire need of a particular item. You may take food to prevent starvation or commit a burglary to escape from a burning building. If you can prove to the court that your actions were motivated by necessity, your charges could be dropped. A lawyer will get what proof they can obtain to defend you and argue that you only committed the crime to save a life or prevent greater harm.

Entrapment

You can be induced to steal property or money that you would not ordinarily steal, so you're prosecuted. Individuals who trap others may do so for personal gain or to meet an arrest quota. Thankfully, a lawyer can prove that you were entrapped to get your charges dropped. They'll provide evidence showing how the plan was laid out and convince the jury why it would not be fair to punish you. If the court finds that the entrapment occurred, you won't be tried for the crime.

Being charged with theft isn't a pleasant experience, especially if you're innocent. If you want to get out of the hook and rebuild your reputation, hire a criminal defense lawyer. They can use these theft arguments to help prove your innocence before the jury.