Phoenix DUI Lawyer Blog

A defendant charged or arrested for auto theft in Arizona should consult an experienced Arizona criminal lawyer as soon as possible. These are very serious charges with harsh punishments. Auto Theft in Arizona is a felony even if there was no violence, force, threat or intimidation involved.

Auto Theft Charges
Auto theft charges in Arizona are also known as "Theft of Means of Transportation" and are outlined in A.R.S. code 13-1814. Auto theft is considered a class 3 felony. The penalties for a non-dangerous class 3 felony with no previous criminal convictions, among other penalties will expose the defendant to upwards of 8 years in prison.

Criminal Laws for Auto Theft in Arizona
In order to convict a defendant of Auto Theft or Theft of Means of Transportation in Arizona, the prosecution needs to prove the following:
1. You knowingly took a vehicle without permission or legal authority;
2. You controlled, converted or obtained another person's means of transportation.
Under this Arizona Criminal Laws the defendant must have "known" they were taking someone else's vehicle; or they took control while "knowing" it was stolen. Further a defendant can be convicted of auto theft if they failed to provide a reasonable effort to determine the true owner.

Arizona Auto Theft Penalties
This is an Arizona victim crime and upon conviction may be sentenced to 8.75 years in prison, 12 months jail, and restitution or supervised probation, among other penalties. If the defendant is convicted of Auto theft, and has a prior criminal record, and or any violence was involved, the penalties will be much higher depending on the circumstances.

Arizona Theft Criminal Defense Attorney
The state of Arizona relentlessly pursue convictions for defendants accused of auto theft. Your only real chance at obtaining a good outcome in your case is to hire a good private practice Arizona criminal defense firm to d0efend your charges. An experienced criminal attorney will make sure your constitutional rights are not violated and you are treated fairly. Good auto theft defense attorneys in Arizonan will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and determine what defense strategies will best serve you. They will challenge the prosecution's case, and present compelling arguments on your behalf. When it comes to serious charges such as auto theft, your question should not be "should I hire a criminal attorney?" but rather, "which criminal attorney should I hire?" And the answer is to hire an experienced auto theft defense attorney who has a strong litigation skills and criminal defense background who will proactively fight the charges in your defense and put in the labor that is involved in attempting to get your charges dismissed, reduced or the otherwise best outcome in your case.