As of July 1, 2020, the felony larceny threshold in Virginia has now doubled, raising the amount from $500 to $1,000. Gov. Ralph Northam signed the bill into law on March 4.

The following is the updated version of the Virginia theft laws:

• Petit Larceny – Stealing items from a place that is valued less than $1,000 or stealing money or items from a person’s body valued less than $5 is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by a maximum 12-month jail term and a fine no more than $2,500. Keep in mind, a person convicted of petit larceny may be subject to probation or deferred disposition, rather than jail time. However, a conviction for petit theft will remain on a criminal record. A second or third offense will lead to a jail sentence.
• Felony Larceny – Stealing items from a place valued at $1,000 or more is a Class U felony, which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a maximum fine of $2,500. A first offense will most likely lead to imprisonment upon conviction.

Raising the threshold to $1,000 was part of Gov. Northam’s criminal justice reform agenda for this year. Keep in mind, three misdemeanor thefts may still result in felony charges.

Now, 36 states and Washington D.C. have increased felony theft thresholds to at or over $1,000.

If you or a loved one are facing theft charges in Fredericksburg or within the surrounding area, contact Andrew J. Cornick, Attorney at Law today at (540) 386-0204, and request a free consultation.