Theft of Person 65 Years of Age or Older

Florida law imposes harsher penalties for theft crimes when the victim is a elderly person 65 years of age or older.

Section 812.0145, F.S., reclassifies theft offenses when the victim is 65 years of age or older. Whenever a person is charged with committing theft from a person 65 years of age or older, when he or she knows or has reason to believe that the victim was 65 years of age or older, the crime of theft is reclassified based on the value of the property taken.

If the funds, assets, or property involved in the theft is valued at:

• $50,000 or more, the offender commits a first degree felony;
• $10,000 or more, but less than $50,000, the offender commits a second degree felony;
• $300 or more, but less than $10,000, the offender commits a third degree felony.

Additionally, under Florida Statute § 812.0145(1), a person who is convicted of theft of more than $1,000, from a person who is 65 years of age or older, is required to make restitution to the victim of such offense and to perform up to 500 hours of community service work in addition to any fine or sentence imposed and must not be in lieu thereof.

Attorney for Theft of Person 65 Years of Age or Older

The criminal defense attorneys at Sammis Law Firm are experienced in representing clients in all types of theft cases, including theft of persons 65 years of age or older. We help clients at all stages of the criminal investigation for crimes of theft in Florida.

The most important thing a person can do after such an allegation is to seek out the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Your attorney can help you gather exculpatory or favorable evidence that might otherwise be lost with the passage of time.

At Sammis Law Firm, our attorney can contact the investigating officer and the prosecutor to present any exculpatory evidence on your behalf before any decisions are made about how the case should be prosecuted.

By retaining an attorney, it prevents the officer from coming to your home or office to interrogate you for the purpose of getting you to confess to one or more elements of the offense.

Contact an experienced attorney at Sammis Law Firm to find out more about how we conduct pre-file investigations and represent clients at every stage of a theft case.

Call 813-250-0500.

This article was last updated on Friday, January 16, 2025.