Theft in Colorado

You were charged with theft in Colorado. That is an accusation that you took something of value without authorization, or obtained it by deception, or kept it when you were supposed to return it. It is not a verdict. Call (303) 291-0555.

What this charge means

Colorado theft covers many fact patterns: shoplifting, taking property from a person or place, keeping rental or borrowed property, and some white-collar schemes people call embezzlement. Value often drives how the case is graded, but this page will not invent a class or a dollar cut-off. Your complaint and the current statute control.

Intent to permanently deprive is usually part of the story the State must prove. A mistake, a claim of right, or a civil dispute is not automatically a theft conviction.

How these cases usually start

Store loss-prevention stops, workplace audits, pawn records, and online marketplace trails generate filings. Some cases begin with a summons. Others begin with arrest. Restitution talk starts early. Do not pay anyone under the table without counsel looking at the criminal exposure.

Issues that decide these cases

• Identity. Video and card data are not always clean.
• Value. Aggregation and appraisal fights matter.
• Intent. Borrowing, delay, and dispute vs. theft.
• Authorization. Employee and family-access cases turn on permission.
• Companion fraud counts. Forgery, identity theft, or computer crime may be stacked.

Penalties (confirm before you rely on this)

The class of this offense and the jail or prison range depend on the current statute, the date of the alleged offense, and any sentence enhancers on the complaint. We will not publish a class or a year range on this page as if it were locked 2026 law. Your charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.

Enhancers can include prior convictions, a domestic-violence designation, a protection-order count, a weapon fact, or consecutive sentences on other counts. Probation eligibility is not automatic. Past results do not guarantee future results. This page is not a promise about your sentence.

Court process in plain English

After an arrest, advisement is usually the first court date. The judge covers rights and bond. Advisement is not arraignment. You do not have to enter a plea there.

The district attorney decides whether to file, add counts, drop counts, or decline. Felony cases that start in county court may have a preliminary-hearing track before district-court arraignment. Discovery, motions, and trial setting follow if the case does not resolve.

Bond is a court order, not a finding of guilt. Conditions can include no contact, no weapons, testing, and GPS. Violating a condition can create a new filing. If you have questions about a condition, call the firm before you guess.

Why people call this firm on this charge

People call because their charge is listed, because they need a trial lawyer, or because a family member is in custody and the next court date is soon. Wrongfully accused or guilty as charged, the job is the same: test the State’s proof and protect the record.

The Reisch Law Firm works from one office in Westminster and takes cases around Colorado. We try cases in Colorado state court and in federal court when the case goes there. Call (303) 291-0555.

Related Colorado charges

• Shoplifting
• Embezzlement
• Criminal mischief
• Burglary in the second degree
• Motor vehicle theft
• Identity theft

What to do now

Call (303) 291-0555. Tell us the county and what the complaint or ticket says. The Reisch Law Firm defends Colorado criminal cases from one office in Westminster and takes cases around the state.

Call (303) 291-0555

The Reisch Law Firm
1490 West 121st Avenue, Suite 202, Westminster, CO 80234
Phone: (303) 291-0555

Back to Colorado Criminal Defense (A-Z)

Past results do not guarantee future results. Attorney advertising.

This page is general information. It is not legal advice and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. The charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.