Shoplifting charges in Blacksburg and Christiansburg are prosecuted as larceny under Va. Code § 18.2-103 and § 18.2-96, and they land on Virginia Tech students far more often than most families expect. Larceny is a crime of dishonesty. Even a small petit larceny conviction is permanent under Virginia law and can never be expunged. If the value of the merchandise reaches $1,000, the charge becomes felony grand larceny. Call Joel today at 540-961-5297 before you talk to loss prevention, the police, or the university. Joel is a Blacksburg criminal defense lawyer who regularly resolves first offense larceny cases in ways that protect his clients’ records and their eligibility for expungement.
How Virginia Charges Shoplifting
Virginia does not have a statute called shoplifting. Instead, concealing merchandise, altering price tags, or helping someone else do so is treated as larceny of the goods under Va. Code § 18.2-103, which means you can be charged before you ever step out of the store. If the goods are worth less than $1,000 the charge is petit larceny, a Class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to twelve months in jail and a $2,500 fine. At $1,000 or more it becomes grand larceny, a felony carrying one to twenty years. Stores may also send a separate civil demand letter seeking payment, which is not the same thing as the criminal case.
Protecting Your Record After a Shoplifting Charge
For a first offense, Virginia’s first offender statute and local prosecutorial discretion mean a conviction is far from inevitable. But the details of how your case resolves control whether the charge can ever be cleared from public view. Some dismissals qualify for expungement and some do not, and the standard first offender route often does not. There are also real defenses in these cases, especially with self checkout misunderstandings, shared shopping trips, and disputes about intent or value. Joel builds his approach around both goals at once, beating or reducing the charge and keeping your record cleanable. You can read about his defense process or call 540-961-5297 for a free consultation.
Shoplifting FAQs
These short answers cover the questions students and parents ask most often after a shoplifting charge.