When a riot, natural disaster, or other city or statewide emergency occurs, there’s a high probability that members of the public will succumb to the chaos around them and engage in theft and crime offenses. Looting is an atypical theft or burglary crime that takes place during a state of emergency. In order to prevent people from stealing during a time of civil unrest or natural disaster, California has harsh penalties for those who are convicted of looting. If you have been charged with the crime of looting in Los Angeles, you should speak with an attorney right away. Call the Law Offices of William Kroger for a free consultation at 323-655-5700.
The most famous example of looting in Los Angeles took place during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, when four officers charged with excessive force in the beating and arrest of Rodeny King were acquitted. Thousands of people took to the streets and began rioting over a 6-day period, engaging in arson, assault and looting.
California Penal Code 463 defines looting as committing an act of petty theft, grand theft, or burglary during a local or statewide state of emergency. This happens when a governor or a governing body declares a state of emergency for either a citywide or a statewide event. A state of emergency can be triggered by any type of emergency that impairs the personnel, facilities, or services of a particular area.
Some common reasons for a state of emergency include:
Riots
Floods
Fires
Earthquakes
Storms
The penalty for looting in Los Angeles depends on a few different factors, such as the value or type of item taken. If a defendant is convicted of looting involving petty theft, which is the theft of goods with a value of under $950, it will result in a misdemeanor charge that has the maximum punishment of six months in jail, $1,000 in fines, and 80 hours of community service.
If a defendant is convicted of looting involving grand theft, which is the theft of goods with a value of over $950, a car, or a firearm, they are looking at a “wobbler” offense, meaning it can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the defendant’s criminal record. Both felony and misdemeanor grand theft looting charges have a minimum jail sentence of 180 days. For the misdemeanor, the maximum jail sentence is one year. The maximum prison sentence for the felony is three years. Meanwhile looting involving grand theft of a firearm is always a felony that can be punished by up to three years in prison.
If you are facing looting charges, contact a Los Angeles criminal attorney as soon as possible.
Because of the unusual set of circumstances under which looting takes place, it can actually be a difficult crime to prove. Reliable evidence can be difficult to obtain, and police officers often violate search and seizure laws. There also may be reasonable explanations to allegations of looting, such as necessity.
The most common defenses against looting charges are proving that you were mistakenly identified, proving that police did not follow due process, or proving that you did not intend to loot.
Because looting takes place during very chaotic circumstances, it can be a tough crime to prosecute, and with the help of a skilled lawyer you can have really good chances of avoiding a conviction. Contact the Law Offices of William Kroger today for assistance if you or someone you know has been charged with looting. We are deeply steeped in California law and know exactly how to help you in this situation.
If you’re facing a looting charge, give the Law Offices of William Kroger a call at 323-655-5700 for a free consultation.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed sed augue mauris. Integer placerat et massa in pharetra. Cras diam mi, tincidunt nec erat in, mollis sagittis sapien. Quisque ultrices id diam quis dapibus. Nullam ac erat ac justo convallis fringilla nec ut purus. Vivamus volutpat orci et lacus tempus fringilla. Morbi sed erat vel nisi blandit placerat eget eget sapien.
Nulla eget tristique leo. Proin dignissim tellus nec risus congue fringilla. Donec interdum purus sem, a finibus ante efficitur ornare. Quisque ullamcorper pharetra lacus, vitae pharetra magna pretium vel. Donec aliquet purus sed pellentesque mollis. Pellentesque vestibulum eget massa in facilisis. Phasellus eu risus non metus consectetur facilisis. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. In vitae fermentum enim, in vulputate diam. Aliquam malesuada urna suscipit, elementum sapien ac, posuere nisl.
Integer malesuada leo quis erat imperdiet aliquet. Aliquam ut eros vulputate, pharetra nulla quis, bibendum justo. Suspendisse justo leo, efficitur vel ex nec, fermentum condimentum dui. Suspendisse ut massa sit amet ligula mattis viverra. Sed sed turpis ligula. In vulputate, enim sit amet laoreet blandit, elit nisl fermentum odio, nec convallis libero dolor nec tellus. Donec rutrum nibh non nibh tincidunt, non iaculis diam dignissim. Sed nec massa pellentesque, gravida sem id, lobortis nisi. Integer turpis metus, sagittis vitae metus vel, feugiat congue nibh.
Vestibulum sed arcu eleifend ipsum eleifend semper nec sed est. Nam dapibus massa ut scelerisque egestas. Integer at elit faucibus elit molestie luctus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur nulla neque, rhoncus sit amet ultricies ac, sagittis ac nibh. Praesent mattis ultricies nisi vitae efficitur. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc ullamcorper non est vitae faucibus. Duis pellentesque magna fermentum leo molestie, et dapibus diam dictum. Vivamus eu purus ullamcorper, consequat diam quis, blandit eros. Cras ultrices finibus metus, eget tempor sem euismod quis. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus.
Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Fusce hendrerit arcu vel nisi bibendum, nec accumsan nunc sollicitudin. Mauris eu pretium ante, at rhoncus metus. Nunc dignissim turpis vel libero commodo imperdiet. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Donec gravida arcu eu turpis lobortis, vitae bibendum lectus egestas. Phasellus gravida eleifend ligula, eu sagittis diam rhoncus ut. Suspendisse fringilla ipsum eu purus tincidunt ornare. Vestibulum tincidunt enim eu ante mattis interdum. Integer molestie, est quis tincidunt dapibus, ex diam ultrices enim, nec vestibulum lectus orci non elit. Etiam vestibulum justo erat, ut vulputate urna dapibus vitae. Fusce ultrices lacus ac eros scelerisque, non malesuada neque ultrices. In pretium mi sed eros pharetra, eu molestie felis consectetur.
This page was reviewed and approved by William S. Kroger, a leading criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles. Mr. Kroger has decades of experience defending clients in both state and federal courts. He is recognized for his strong trial skills and dedication to protecting the rights of the accused. Throughout his career, he has successfully represented clients facing a wide range of serious criminal charges. His personalized defense strategies are designed to achieve the best possible outcome in every case. Clients trust Mr. Kroger for his knowledge, commitment, and proven results.
He is also an active member of respected legal organizations, including the American Bar Association and the National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers. With his expertise and reputation, William S. Kroger is regarded as one of California’s top defense lawyers.
"*" indicates required fields
