What You Should Know About Grand Theft Auto Charges in Florida

Florida’s theft laws can result in serious punishments in the event of a conviction, and especially when you are facing charges for grand theft. In general, grand theft is a more serious degree of theft offense than a misdemeanor theft offense, and grand theft is charged as a felony. When an automobile or any motor vehicle is the object of theft, the charges are grand theft in the third degree. In other words, there is not a specific statute for “grand theft auto” in Florida, but the Florida Statutes identify the theft of a motor vehicle as a form of grand theft that will result in felony charges. Those felony charges will become more serious when a motor vehicle is used in the course of committing grand theft.

Our Florida theft defense lawyers can provide you with more details below, and we can speak with you today to learn more about the charges you are facing and to begin assisting you with your defense.

Defining Grand Theft Auto Under Florida Law

Under Section 812.014(1) of the Florida Statutes, a person commits a theft offense when they knowingly obtain or use, or endeavor to obtain or to use, the property of another with intent to either temporarily or permanently deprived the owner of their right to the property or appropriate the property for their own use.

As soon as the value of the item is $750 or more, the offense becomes grand theft, which is a felony. Even if a motor vehicle is valued at less than $750, Florida makes the theft of any motor vehicle a grand theft offense in the third degree, which is a felony offense of the third degree.

The offense can become grand theft in the first degree, which is a felony of the first degree, if the person commits grand theft (which can mean simply the theft of a vehicle regardless of its value) and one of the following is also true:

• Vehicle becomes instrumental in the offense, other than being used as a getaway vehicle; or
• In committing the offense, the person causes property damage in excess of $1,000.

Contact Our Tampa Criminal Defense Lawyers Today to Begin Working on Your Defense Against Grand Theft Auto Charges in Florida 

While Florida law does not have a specific criminal statute for “grand theft auto,” as we discussed above, the theft statute makes clear that a person faces charges for grand theft, which is a third-degree felony, if the property stolen (or that they attempt to steal) is a motor vehicle. The charges become even more serious, as we noted, when a motor vehicle is used in the commission of the offense in other ways. If you are facing any type of grand theft charges involving a motor vehicle of any kind, one of the experienced Tampa grand theft auto defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Daniel J. Fernandez, P.A. can assist you. Contact us today to begin working on a defense strategy for the charges you are facing.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0812/Sections/0812.014.html