Theft

Theft laws have ratcheted up in California. In 2014, Proposition 47 passed and converted many theft-related felonies to misdemeanors. “Commercial burglary” could only be punished as misdemeanor “shoplifting” unless the value of the theft exceeded $950, for example. In just 10 years, the pendulum swung back the other way with Proposition 36, and now misdemeanor theft offenses with priors can result in prison time.

California’s primary theft statutes are Penal Code sections 211, 459, 484, 487, 496, 503, and 530.5.