In this section, our attorneys explain Nevada’s criminal laws and legal concepts, A to Z
Criminal Law A to Z
In this section, our attorneys explain Nevada’s criminal laws and legal concepts, A to Z
Crimes by NRS Section
Every crime in Nevada is based in a section of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). For each crime, our attorneys explain the laws, penalties and best defenses to fight the charge.
Nevada DUI
Getting arrested for DUI does not mean you will be convicted. Police misconduct, defective breathalyzers and crime lab mistakes may be enough to get your charges lessened or dismissed. Visit our page on Nevada DUI Laws to learn more.
Post-Conviction
Even if you’ve already been convicted of a crime, there is still much you can do to seal your record and restore your rights. Our attorneys explain how.
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Each year, stores lose millions of dollars in revenue due to shoplifting. This loss is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices at the register. To mitigate their losses, Nevada businesses are on high alert for shoplifting and employ all kinds of anti-theft tactics.
Law enforcement takes this crime very seriously. The crime of shoplifting in Nevada is set out in NRS 205.220 and NRS 205.240. This crime is committed when someone steals or carries away store merchandise.
Depending on what has been stolen, the penalties for a shoplifting charge can be either a misdemeanor or a felony. If the items stolen are less than $1,200 in value it is a misdemeanor offense, and if it is over $1,200 in value it is considered a felony.
If you have been accused of shoplifting, keep in mind the following:
Being accused of something can incite anger in the calmest of people. If you did indeed take an item, fear could cause you to confess. Either way, it is always wise to remain as silent as possible. Be polite and provide a minimum of information. Remember that anything you say can be used against you later.
State laws vary, but often you can be charged without actually taking anything. A good example of this is if you changed prices, distracted a store manager for someone else, or acted as a lookout.
If you are suspected of shoplifting, you can be legally detained by store personnel until police arrive. It is important to be aware however that they must have probable cause to believe you have shoplifted, and they may only use reasonable force to detain you.
It is not uncommon for a person to leave a store and accidentally not pay for something (lack of intent). Or perhaps a store cashier thought they saw something. If you made an honest mistake, apologize and offer to pay, or return the item.
Nevada shoplifting charges can have serious consequences. An experienced lawyer can help determine what defenses may apply, and explore your legal options. Nevada prosecutors have the discretion for instance, to reduce the charges or the sentence if the defendant enters a guilty plea. Or your lawyer may negotiate a plea deal if the prosecutor is confident that there is a small risk of the re-offending.
A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.
If you use counterfeit money to pay for up to nine hundred fifty dollars ($950) worth of merchandise at a California store, you are guilty of shoplifting under PC 459.5, California’s shoplifting law–and not of a more serious crime like PC 459 burglary. Penal Code 459.5 PC, California’s new shoplifting law, was created by Proposition 47. This ...
Shoplifting is often a crime of moral turpitude (CIMT). If it is, it can increase the consequences of a conviction. It can impact a non-citizen’s immigration status. In some contexts, however, shoplifting is not serious enough to count as a CIMT. Such petty offenses are exempted from crimes of moral turpitude. Serious shoplifting cases can affect ...
It is not an uncommon scenario. A defendant leaves a department store with a few unpaid items. They are stopped and detained by store security. While waiting for the police to arrive, security asks them a laundry list of questions. Should this defendant be given a Miranda warning before they are questioned? There is a ...
Individuals suspected of shoplifting in California are being detained by private security guards and forced to sign confessions and pay hundreds of dollars to a private company for an unauthorized “diversion” program. Those are the allegations contained in a lawsuit filed by the San Francisco city attorney in November 2015 against a company called CEC. The ...