Police say that a 32-year-old man was taken into custody after stealing a car in Palm Springs. Authorities say that they responded to a call at about 6:17 a.m. on July 9 regarding the theft in progress on the 2300 block of Via Lazo. Within minutes, an officer noticed the car on the 2200 block of South Palm Canyon Drive, and the man stopped the vehicle before fleeing on foot.
The foot chase took place over several streets before officers lost sight of the man near the intersection of South Sierra Madre and East San Jose Road. However, officers eventually found the man at a carport at about 6:40 a.m. when he was taken into custody. The man was initially held on bail of $5,000 and had a scheduled court appearance on July 13.
Individuals who are taken into custody for auto theft may face several penalties including time in jail or prison. Other penalties include probation, community service and a fine. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to talk to a criminal defense attorney about possible defenses to the charge. If successful, an attorney may be able to help an individual avoid some or all penalties associated with the charge.
Defenses to a theft charge include arguing that the defendant merely borrowed the property and had permission to use it. It may also be possible to argue that the defendant was the owner of the property and was waiting on paperwork or other information to verify that fact. Finally, legal counsel may argue that an individual was forced to steal property under threat of harm to themselves or others who they may know.
Source: Banning-Beaumont Patch, “Man Arrested for Alleged Auto Theft in Palm Springs”, Alexander Nguyen, July 10, 2015
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