April 14, 2014 Property crime typically involves theft of or damage to property, but can also mean a number of other crimes, some of which are misdemeanors with limited jail time, while others can be assigned felonies. Some of the other crimes that fall under the category of property crime include trespassing, breaking and entering, vandalism, criminal damage to property, defacement of art, and burglary. If you have been charged with a property crime or if property crime is one of several charges brought against you, you need to enlist the advocacy of an experienced defense attorney. If you have been charged with a property crime or if property crime is one of several charges brought against you, you need to enlist the advocacy of an experienced defense attorney. You will also want to know what rights you have. Here are three common property crime defenses that may be used, depending on the details of the case and the charges brought against you. It Was A Mistake Did you take a piece of property that you thought was yours? Can it feasibly be established as a mistake? Since criminal intent must be proven to establish guilt for most theft crimes, “mistake” could be a defense for your case. The Defendant Was Coerced Coercion is another defense option for some. If you were forced to commit the property crime by stealing or damaging the property because you felt you or someone you love was in danger of physical harm, injury, or even death – that’s coercion. It Was Out Of Necessity Sometimes property must be damaged in order to save your life or the lives of others. For example if you were under duress because of a fire or some other imminent danger, escaping through a window or busting through a door may have been the only reasonable option. In these circumstances “necessity” would be a viable defense. Nahajski Law Firm understands that good people occasionally face difficult allegations. Knowing the impact facing criminal prosecution can have on you and your family, our firm will aggressively, thoroughly and attentively come to your defense. With almost forty years of combined criminal defense experience, let us be your advocates if you’ve been charged with a property crime of any kind. You can contact us online or call 206-621-0500 anytime to set up your free confidential consultation with one of our highly skilled property crime lawyers.