Robbery, burglary, and criminal damage defense attorney

Call Van Severen Law Office at (414) 270-0202 to discuss robbery, burglary, or criminal damage to property

Wisconsin property crimes like robbery, burglary, and criminal damage to property are common throughout the state.  Property offenses cover a wide range of conduct, from relatively minor incidents to extremely serious felonies.  All property crimes involve victims and financial harm.  Sometimes they also involve violence or threats of violence, which encourage prosecutors to pursue them aggressively.

Property crime penalties range from misdemeanors to very serious felonies.  For example, the most mitigated version of criminal damage to property is a Class A misdemeanor.  The maximum penalty for that offense is 9 months in jail and $10,000.00 in fines.  Prison isn’t a possibility.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, armed robbery is a Class C felony in Wisconsin.  The maximum penalty for this offense is 40 years prison and $100,000.00 in fines.  Theft, burglary, and other property crime penalties generally fall between those two extremes.

If you’re facing one of these charges, it’s important to remember that even a misdemeanor conviction will change the rest of your life.  Employers in Wisconsin can refuse to hire candidates due to criminal convictions that substantially relate to the job in question.  Theft can occur anywhere an individual has access to property that isn’t his.  It wouldn’t be very hard for any potential employer to argue that a theft conviction is substantially related to any job opening.

At Van Severen Law Office, S.C. our criminal defense attorneys represent defendants throughout the state facing property crimes.  We’re fought these cases at trial, filed pre-trial motions challenging illegal police conduct, and won dismissals after engaging in a contested preliminary hearing.  No matter your goal in your case, our firm is equipped to fight your case.  Contact us today to schedule a consultation regarding your charges: (414) 270-0202.

Examples of property crimes in Wisconsin:

The introduction to this page discussed the penalties for a few property crimes in Wisconsin.  Let’s go a bit further and discuss what’s involved in a few of these offenses.

• Criminal damage to property occurs when someone intentionally damages another person’s physical property without consent.  Severity of the charges depends on a few factors.  Was the damage over $2,500.00?  Was the property a public utility?  Was it owned by the government?  Various factors increase this charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.
• Burglary is entering a building, dwelling, or locked enclosure without consent and with intent to commit a felony or theft inside.  It’s always a felony.  Penalties are higher for cases involving dangerous weapons, use of explosives, or when the burglarized dwelling is inhabited.
• Robbery involves taking property from another person by using or threatening force.  Armed Robbery is a robbery committed while using or threatening to use a dangerous weapon.
• Theft occurs when someone intentionally takes and carries away the property of another, without that person’s consent and with intent to permanently deprive the owner of it.

How Wisconsin prosecutors frequently identify suspects in property crimes:

One of the most common problems prosecutors face with property charges is identity.  Sometimes individuals that commit armed robbery wear face masks.  Burglaries frequently occur when the property owner isn’t present.  Theft cases operate in a similar manner.  So what happens when prosecutors can’t rely on a witness identifying the defendant?  Security cameras, DNA/fingerprint identification, geofence warrants, and triangulating the defendant’s cell phone are all common tactics prosecutors use to put the defendant at the scene of the crime.

Even when direct identification is difficult, prosecutors can build a strong case using these investigative tools.  Security camera footage can capture the suspect’s unique movements, clothing, or other distinctive behaviors.  DNA or fingerprint evidence links a person to the scene of a crime, or even specific pieces of evidence.  Geofence warrants allow law enforcement to track which devices (and therefore their owners) were in the area at the time of the crime.  Cell phone triangulation confirms the suspect’s location.

Frequently, multiple pieces of evidence combine to form a picture of the defendant’s involvement.  Sometimes these pieces of evidence are even more powerful than an eyewitness identification.

Often law enforcement will follow up these vague identifications with a search warrant.  If the cops find the same unique, vintage Milwaukee Brewers jacket as the one they saw in the security camera footage, you’re likely facing charges.

Contact Van Severen Law Office, S.C. for help defending your criminal case

The Wisconsin criminal defense attorneys at Van Severen Law Office, S.C. regularly fight on behalf of clients facing tough criminal charges.  We’ve won tough cases for clients facing charges other attorneys believe were unbeatable.  We’d like to talk to you about your case and how we may be able to help.

Contact us at (414) 270-0202.  We’ll connect you with any of our criminal defense lawyers and set up a time to talk about your case in person.  We don’t charge for initial consultations and there’s no obligation to sign up with us, but we’ll answer all your questions, run through possible defenses, and tell you what we think of your case.