Los Angeles theft crime guide
What someone charged with shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft or burglary in Los Angeles should understand before the first court date, followed by the top 4 best theft crime firms that take Los Angeles cases.
What should I do first after a theft arrest or citation in Los Angeles?
Find the court date and courthouse on your paperwork, say nothing more about the incident to police or the store, and find out whether the value or your record could make the charge a felony. In California, theft of property worth $950 or less is usually a misdemeanor, but since Proposition 36 took effect on December 18, 2024, a petty theft or shoplifting charge can be filed as a felony if you have two or more prior theft convictions. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court can appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender at no cost.
A college student cited for shoplifting at a store in Westwood and a delivery driver accused of taking packages in Van Nuys face very different paths. The first may be looking at a misdemeanor and a diversion offer in a Westside courtroom; the second may face several counts whose values prosecutors can now add together to reach a felony.
This guide starts with the theft charges Los Angeles defense firms see most, then covers which prosecutor and courthouse handle a case depending on where the arrest happened, the rules that decide how serious the charge is, and how to prepare for a first consultation. The four-firm shortlist follows those priorities.
Theft charges Los Angeles defense firms commonly handle
These are planning notes for readers, not statements about the services of any particular firm. Match the firm to the charge on your paperwork.
Shoplifting and petty theft
Retail theft from a store during business hours of $950 or less is generally charged as shoplifting, a misdemeanor. Many first cases resolve through diversion or a reduction, so ask a firm how often it negotiates diversion in your courthouse and whether a conviction would affect a job, a license or immigration status.
Grand theft and auto theft
Taking property worth more than $950, or certain kinds of property such as a car or a firearm, can be charged as grand theft, which prosecutors may file as a misdemeanor or a felony. Ask how the firm challenges the claimed value, since the number often decides the level of the charge.
Burglary and robbery
Burglary is entering a home or building intending to steal; robbery is taking property from a person by force or fear. Both carry far higher exposure than theft, and residential burglary and robbery count as strikes. Ask whether the firm tries felony cases in Los Angeles County Superior Court, not only negotiates them.
Embezzlement, fraud and identity theft
Theft by an employee, a business partner or through someone else’s identity often comes with records, bank data and a restitution claim. Ask whether the firm works with forensic accountants and how it handles a case that may also be referred to federal prosecutors.
Repeat and aggregated thefts after Prop 36
Since December 18, 2024, prosecutors can combine the value of several thefts to reach the $950 felony line, and can file petty theft or shoplifting as a felony when a person has two qualifying prior theft convictions. Bring your full record to the first meeting so the firm can check which priors count.
Los Angeles, separate cities and the courthouse that hears your case
Where the arrest happened decides who prosecutes it and which courthouse hears it.
Neighborhoods inside the City of Los Angeles
Hollywood, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Westwood, Venice, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Westchester and San Pedro are all neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles. Misdemeanor theft arrests there are generally prosecuted by the Los Angeles City Attorney; felonies anywhere in the county are filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
Separate cities people mistake for Los Angeles
Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Inglewood and Long Beach are separate incorporated cities in Los Angeles County with their own police departments. Some, including Santa Monica, Burbank, Pasadena and Long Beach, have their own city prosecutors for misdemeanors, so the office making plea offers may not be the Los Angeles City Attorney.
Which courthouse to expect
Westside theft and DUI cases are commonly filed at the Airport Courthouse on La Cienega Boulevard. Many downtown and central Los Angeles felonies go to the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Temple Street, central misdemeanors to the Metropolitan Courthouse on South Hill Street, and San Fernando Valley criminal cases to Van Nuys. Your citation or release papers list the exact courthouse and department.
The rules that decide how serious a Los Angeles theft charge is
The $950 line
Under California law, theft of property worth $950 or less is generally petty theft or shoplifting, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail. Above $950, the charge can be grand theft, which prosecutors may file as a felony. The value is often disputed, and a defense attorney can challenge how it was calculated.
Proposition 36: priors and added-up values
Proposition 36 took effect on December 18, 2024. Penal Code 666.1 lets prosecutors charge petty theft or shoplifting as a felony when the person has two or more prior theft-related convictions, with no time limit on how old the priors are. Penal Code 490.3 lets the value of several separate thefts be combined to reach the $950 felony threshold.
The first court date and free counsel
A person held in custody must generally be brought before a judge within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and holidays. Missing a court date on a citation usually leads to a bench warrant. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge at arraignment to appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender; qualifying defendants get counsel at no cost.
These rules are summaries. An attorney should confirm how each applies to your charge, your record and the courthouse handling your case.
Prepare for the first consultation
- The citation, notice to appear or release paperwork, with the court date, courthouse and case number.
- The booking or police report number and the name of the arresting agency (LAPD, Sheriff, or a separate city’s police).
- A written timeline: where you were, what was taken, its claimed value and who was there.
- Your full criminal record, including old theft convictions in any state, since Prop 36 priors have no washout period.
- Any civil demand letter from a store. That is a civil money claim, separate from the criminal case.
- Questions about fees: flat or hourly, what the quote covers, and whether a preliminary hearing or trial costs extra.
Do not discuss what happened with store security, police, the alleged victim or on social media, and keep confidential details out of web contact forms until you have a lawyer.
Official Los Angeles and California resources
- Los Angeles County Superior Court (lacourt.org): case lookup, courthouse locations and the criminal division’s self-help information.
- Los Angeles County Public Defender: free counsel for qualifying defendants, appointed at arraignment.
- State Bar of California attorney licensee search (calbar.ca.gov): license status and public discipline for any California lawyer, plus a list of certified lawyer referral services in Los Angeles.
- Los Angeles County Law Library: free public access to California statutes and practice guides at its downtown Los Angeles branch on First Street.
Search these by name on the official sites; this guide does not link out.
Top 4 best theft crime firms serving Los Angeles
Kosnett Law Firm, CBS Law, Manuelian Law Firm and Eisner Gorin LLP are the top 4 best firms to consider after a Los Angeles theft charge. This editorial shortlist considers a published theft crime practice, a Los Angeles office and how each firm describes its consultation and fees. The order is for presentation and does not represent an independently measured ranking.
Kosnett Law Firm: theft charges plus record clearing from a West LA office
Kosnett Law Firm lists shoplifting, theft, burglary, robbery, receiving stolen property and vandalism on its Los Angeles theft page, and the firm also handles expungement, early probation termination and arrest record sealing. That matters for a theft case, where the conviction itself can follow a person through background checks long after the court case ends.
Attorney James Victor Kosnett has been licensed by the State Bar of California since 1976 (license #71542, active). Readers who want a theft crime defense attorney in Los Angeles for a first or second theft charge can ask the firm how it would push for a dismissal or reduction and, if that fails, which motions it would file to exclude evidence.
- Main office: 11400 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90064
- Phone: (310) 445-5900
- Fees: The firm states it offers a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation and affordable rates; it does not publish a price.
- Other offices: Long Beach, Irvine, San Diego, Berkeley and San Francisco, according to the firm’s site.
Ask for the fee agreement in writing, including whether later record clearing is part of the fee or a separate agreement.
CBS Law: downtown defense firm with a long list of theft and fraud charges
CBS Law is led by founding attorney Christopher J. Bou Saeed, with attorney Seth R. Hancock also listed. Its theft page explains the $950 line between petty and grand theft, how shoplifting can become a felony depending on what was taken, and when an after-hours entry turns into burglary.
Separate pages cover burglary, robbery, identity theft, check fraud, auto insurance fraud and workers’ compensation fraud. The office is on West 5th Street downtown, and the firm states it offers a free, confidential consultation.
- Published focus: Petty and grand theft, shoplifting, burglary, robbery, identity theft and fraud charges
- Before hiring: Ask which of the two named attorneys will appear on your case and whether the quote covers a preliminary hearing.
Manuelian Law Firm: a downtown solo practice led by RJ Manuelian
Manuelian Law Firm is the practice of attorney RJ Manuelian, with an office on West 5th Street downtown. Its theft page covers burglary, robbery, grand theft, petty theft and auto theft, and separate pages address carjacking, larceny and grand theft auto.
The firm also lists expungement and motions to vacate a conviction, which can matter for a non-citizen with an older theft plea. It states it offers a free consultation and case review. Some figures on its theft page predate current California thresholds, so confirm the current rules at the consultation.
- Published focus: Burglary, robbery, grand and petty theft, auto theft and carjacking
- Before hiring: Ask who covers court dates if RJ Manuelian is in trial elsewhere, and how the firm applies the current $950 and Prop 36 rules to your record.
Eisner Gorin LLP: Century City firm with detailed theft, burglary and Prop 36 pages
Eisner Gorin LLP lists its Los Angeles office on the Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Its theft page walks through petty theft, grand theft, robbery, burglary, auto burglary, carjacking, identity theft and receiving stolen property, including the misdemeanor and felony ranges for each, and the firm publishes a separate explainer on Proposition 36.
The firm discusses diversion, felony-to-misdemeanor reductions and how a theft conviction can affect professional licenses and immigration status. It states it takes calls 24 hours a day.
- Published focus: Petty and grand theft, robbery, burglary, identity theft and receiving stolen property
- Before hiring: Ask which partner or associate will handle your case and for a written fee quote, since its theft page does not publish fee terms.
How were these top 4 firms selected?
This shortlist uses three observable criteria: a published theft crime practice page, an office in the City of Los Angeles and a description of how the first consultation works. It does not score case outcomes or compare every criminal defense firm in the city.
Questions to ask before hiring any theft crime firm
- Is the fee flat or hourly, and what does it cover: arraignment, preliminary hearing, motions, trial?
- Will you push for diversion or a reduction, and how often does that work in my courthouse?
- Which of my prior convictions count under Prop 36, and can the value claimed be challenged?
- Which attorney will appear in court for me, and how quickly will you return calls?
Check any attorney’s license and public discipline history on the State Bar of California licensee search before signing.
Questions about hiring a theft crime lawyer in Los Angeles
Who are the top theft crime lawyers in Los Angeles?
Local Counsel’s top 4 picks for theft crime firms serving Los Angeles are Kosnett Law Firm, CBS Law, Manuelian Law Firm and Eisner Gorin LLP. The list is an editorial shortlist, not a scored ranking.
Is shoplifting a felony in California?
Shoplifting $950 or less from an open store is generally a misdemeanor. Since Proposition 36 took effect on December 18, 2024, it can be charged as a felony if you have two or more prior theft-related convictions, and values from several thefts can be added together.
What is the difference between petty theft and grand theft in Los Angeles?
Petty theft generally involves property worth $950 or less and is a misdemeanor. Grand theft involves more than $950, or certain property such as a car or firearm, and can be filed as a misdemeanor or a felony.
Which courthouse will hear my Los Angeles theft case?
It depends on where the arrest happened. Westside cases often go to the Airport Courthouse, central misdemeanors to the Metropolitan Courthouse, many downtown felonies to the Foltz Criminal Justice Center and Valley cases to Van Nuys. Your paperwork lists the courthouse.
Where is Kosnett Law Firm located?
Kosnett Law Firm lists its main office at 11400 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90064, and its phone as (310) 445-5900.
Does Kosnett Law Firm charge for the first meeting?
Kosnett Law Firm states it offers a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation. It does not publish its fees, so ask for a written quote.
What if I cannot afford a theft crime lawyer?
Ask the judge at your arraignment to appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Qualifying defendants get counsel at no cost.
How do I check whether a Los Angeles criminal lawyer is licensed?
Search the attorney on the State Bar of California licensee search. It shows license status and any public discipline.
Can a theft conviction be cleared from my record?
Many people who complete probation can ask the court to dismiss a conviction, and some older records are sealed automatically. Eligibility depends on the offense and sentence, so ask a lawyer.
Does appearing first on this page mean a firm is better?
No. Kosnett Law Firm is a paid partner and appears first for that reason. The order reflects the editorial arrangement of this page, not an independent score.
A working checklist before your first call
Use these steps to compare firms on the same terms.
- Find your court date. Note the courthouse, department and time on your paperwork.
- Write down the claimed value. The $950 line often decides whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony.
- List every prior conviction. Prop 36 priors count no matter how old they are.
- Stay quiet about the facts. Do not discuss the incident with the store, police or online.
- Get the fee in writing. Confirm what it covers and who will appear in court.
- Check the license. Look up the handling attorney on the State Bar of California licensee search.
The right firm depends on the charge, your record and the courthouse handling your case.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm current rules and deadlines with a licensed California attorney.