DuPage County Felony Theft Defense Attorneys
Effective Criminal Defense to Property Crimes
If you are arrested for felony theft in Illinois, you can face serious penalties that include a criminal record, incarceration, fines and more. These theft and burglary law penalties can be supplemented by job loss, ineligibility for certain occupations/professions, adverse immigration consequences, loss of certain constitutional rights, academic discipline and denial of loans or rental housing applications. Simply put, felony theft is a serious crime in Illinois.
The criminal offense of felony theft has many classes and punishments which can be affected by the type of property, value of the property, defendant’s prior criminal history and surrounding circumstances. Under Illinois law, felony theft involves the unlawful taking of property or money with a value that exceeds $500 that is stolen directly from another person without consent and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the property. If you are arrested for felony theft in DuPage County or the surrounding areas of Illinois, it is important to understand the actual language of the statute is far more nuanced, so each case will be significantly impacted by its unique facts and circumstances.
Because Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. has represented over 16,000 people while scrutinizing police conduct and taking on prosecutors in court for over 30 years, we have the experience and proven results individuals accused of crimes want on their side. Our DuPage County felony defense lawyers are prepared to take the most challenging and high profile cases, so we have been featured on all of the major television networks, a wide array of national print media and syndicated radio. While much of the media attention focused on our law firm highlights cases that involve famous defendants like politicians, rock and roll hall of fame members and professional athletes, we have successfully defended clients from all backgrounds facing serious charges that include felony theft.
Defense Strategies to Illinois Felony Theft Charges
An important aspect of our defense strategy when defending a person charged with felony theft is to evaluate the nature and scope of the prosecutor’s evidence. The types of evidence that will be relevant in evaluating the prosecutor’s case will include:
- Incriminating statements provided by the accused;
- Video footage or pictures of the allegedly stolen items;
- Evidence establishing the value of the items at issue;
- Availability of the alleged victim to testify;
- Video or photos of the accused in possession of the items;
- Statement provided by percipient witnesses (i.e., witnesses that observed or heard relevant information);
- Images or footage of the location from where the items were taken;
- Law enforcement report of the investigating officers; and
- Any prior theft convictions of the accused.
Our DuPage County felony theft lawyers also will examine whether any of the evidence above was obtained in violation of our client’s constitutional rights. Incriminating statements might be subject to suppression if they were obtained involuntarily or in violation of Miranda. The stolen items might be subject to exclusion if they were discovered as the result of an unlawful search.
Nationally Recognized Criminal Defense Lawyers
Our DuPage County fraud defense lawyers are committed to providing the most effective defense of our clients to protect their liberty, reputation, and future. We invite you to call us today at 630-256-8001 or to send us an email to schedule your free consultation in our conveniently located office in Naperville. Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. also has offices in Wheaton and in St. Charles or Rolling Meadows by appointment.
