Clymer, Musser & Sarno, P.C., has provided a solid criminal defense for Central Pennsylvania residents for more than 15 years.
Our defense is informed by our experience working as former prosecutors. Call us immediately to discuss a burglary, robbery, or theft charge.
At Clymer, Musser & Sarno, P.C., our lawyers know the law and the full range of possible defenses. We are capable of challenging the evidence in your case or negotiating for the best possible outcome.
The terms robbery and burglary are commonly confused or misused.
Robbery is when in the course of committing a theft, the actor physically takes or removes property (or threatens to physically take or remove property), which sometimes results in bodily injury.
Burglary is when one enters a building or other occupied structure, or even a separately-secured section of a structure with the purpose of committing a crime therein, when the actor has no license to be in that structure.
Both crimes have many approaches for a defense. For burglary, the District Attorney must articulate that the actor intended to commit a crime, or did commit a crime, once inside the building. In addition, if the building or structure had been previously abandoned, this would be a defense to the burglary charge.
More commonly, the actor had prior permission to be in that building or structure, and the question then becomes whether or not that permission was ever properly revoked.
Retail theft, or shoplifting, is a common offense in Pennsylvania. Consequently, the General Assembly has made retail theft a crime that increases in severity based on the amount stolen.
A retail theft can result in probation, prison time, fines, loss of employment, loss of license (in certain fields), and a potential impediment to finding employment in the future.
First-time offenders may be accepted into programs depending on negotiations. Our criminal defense attorneys have been successful in getting first time offenders into programs at the Magisterial District Court level, which require community service for the charge to be dismissed. Sometimes, based on the severity of the crime, our attorneys have been able to get first time offenders into programs like ARD.
Repeat retail theft offenders face higher penalties and gradings. While first-time offenders might be charged with a summary offense, repeat offenders start with a misdemeanor charge no matter the value of the item(s) stolen. For the third offense, even if the item stolen was a pack of gum, the offender will be charged with a felony offense. Therefore, it is imperative that you seek legal representation as soon as possible to put together the best defense possible.