Petty theft and shoplifting are some of the most common criminal offenses. Because of this, you might think that the penalties would be minor.

However, a theft or shoplifting charge is actually quite serious – especially in Illinois.

Theft and shoplifting are penalized based on the value of goods allegedly stolen. Both offenses can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or a felony, with felony-level offenses having much more severe consequences. A felony-level offense is almost always punishable by jail [...]