Florida Warrants for Larceny

Many clients contact us for help after discovering an outstanding warrant for “larceny.” Information about the arrest warrant is available on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) website.

The FDLE will code the warrant as “larceny” if the underlying charges are for grand theft or other felony theft-related offenses such as shoplifting, retail theft, bicycle theft, purse snatching, vehicle burglary, or construction theft.

The FDLE warrant results will also show the reporting agency where a police report can be obtained or the county in which the warrant was issued so that more information can be found on the clerk of court website in that county.

The FDLE website will classify the reason for the warrant. For example, an arrest warrant related to a trespass is classified as a warrant for “invasion of privacy.” Most of these warrants are issued under the following circumstances:

• in connection with a criminal investigation but after a person has moved out of county;
• when a person has fled the state to avoid being pickup up on the warrant;
• when a person was originally arrested on the warrant but then failed to appear at a court date or for trial; or
• after violating probation.

Attorneys for Larceny Crimes in Tampa, FL

The attorneys at the Sammis Law Firm in Tampa, FL, represent clients on warrants issued throughout the Tampa Bay area, including Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hernando County, Polk County, Manatee County, or Sarasota County.

Many of these warrants for larceny are extremely old. We have represented clients on warrants that are more than 30 years old.

After we are retained, we can sometimes obtain a copy of the entire file from the agency that originally investigated the case, the state attorney’s office, or the clerk of court. Then we can talk with you about possible defenses to the charges.

In some cases, we can get the prosecutor to agree to a resolution that might involve dropping the charges if restitution is paid. In other cases, you must surrender on the warrant before the best resolution can be reached.

However, the attorneys at the Sammis Law Firm can help you determine the best options and fight to resolve the case on the best possible terms.

Call 813-250-0500

The Statute of Limitations for Larceny in Florida

Many people ask us if the statute of limitations applies, especially to old warrants. In most cases, it does not, because the statute of limitations prevents prosecutions when there is a delay in investigating the case and issuing a warrant.

Once the warrant is issued and adequate attempts are made to serve the warrant (even if unsuccessful), the periods for the statute of limitation are tolled until the warrant is served. Additionally, the statute of limitations is tolled when you are outside of Florida.

The statute of limitations for larceny in Florida generally depends on the type of larceny committed. It is generally between three and five years.

Additionally, Florida can choose to toll the statute of limitations when the defendant is living out of state or out of the country, and the warrant cannot be served within the state of Florida. If the statute of limitations has expired, your attorney can file a motion to dismiss your charges.

Also, the right to a speedy trial does not apply in these cases because your right to a speedy trial is usually not triggered until you are arrested on the larceny charge.

Holds Between Counties for Larceny Warrants

If you are picked up out-of-county on the warrant, you might be held on a transfer or pick-up order until you are brought back to the county where the warrant originated.

For instance, if the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office issued your felony larceny warrant in Hillsborough County but you are picked up in Pasco County, you can be held in that county until you are brought back to the jail in Hillsborough County, FL.

Extradition for Larceny Warrants back to Florida

For many felony larceny warrants, the State of Florida will extradite a person arrested out of state on the warrant. The attorneys at the Sammis Law Firm in Tampa, FL, are experienced in fighting extradition cases.

Call us to find ways the case might be resolved before you are extradited. Avoiding the extradition back to Florida is the goal in many of these cases, especially if the evidence is weak or the warrant is particularly old.

The court might agree to allow you to avoid extradition if the warrant involves a violation of probation, but you are now in full compliance with the outstanding terms.

Types of Felony Larceny Charges in Florida

In Florida, charges involving larceny are incorporated within theft laws. Larceny is one way of proving a theft offense. Other types of theft offenses include:

• conversion;
• stealing;
• misappropriation; or
• fraud.

Most larceny-type charges are prosecuted as either misdemeanor petit theft or felony grand theft. In most cases, the deciding factor between felony or misdemeanor charges is the value of the property.

For instance, Florida has the following threshold classifications for theft charges:

• If the property is valued at less than $100, then the offense is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor;
• If the property is valued at $100-750, then the offense is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor;
• If the property is valued at $750 to $20,000, then the offense is classified as a third-degree felony; and
• If the property is valued at $20,000 to $100,000, then the property is classified as a first-degree felony.

Some types of property are classified a certain way, regardless of the actual fair market value of the property, such as vehicles and firearms.

Reports of Larceny in Hillsborough County

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office 2018 Fact Book, In 2017, larceny made up 63.9% of Part 1 crimes and 73.4% of property crimes. While reported larcenies decreased 47.3% compared to 2008, larcenies increased 1.2% from 9,972 in 2016 to 10,091 in 2017.

Finding Lawyers for Larceny Crimes in Hillsborough County

If you just found out that you have an outstanding warrant for Larceny in Tampa, Hillsborough County, or the surrounding counties throughout the greater Tampa Bay area, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the Sammis Law Firm, P.A.

We represent clients in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hernando County, and Polk County, FL.

Don’t just wait to be picked up on a warrant. Instead, take a proactive approach by hiring an attorney to help you fight the charges aggressively at every stage of the case. Contact us to learn how to protect yourself against this serious accusation.

Let us put our experience to work for you.

Call us today at (813) 250-0500 to discuss your case.

This article was last updated on Thursday, September 19, 2024.