Theft Lawyers in Toronto | Defend Theft Under $5000

In 2023, the Firm represented an individual charged with theft under $5,000 in R. v. M.F. [2023]. The accused was terminated from his place of employment and arrested after a box of merchandise went missing. Security cameras confirmed the accused took the merchandise to his desk prior to it going missing. The Firm reviewed the disclosure, pointing out various issues early on in the case. After negotiating with the Crown for more than a year and demonstrating various issues with their case, the Firm secured the withdrawal of the charge.

In 2021, the Firm defended an individual charged with theft over $5,000 and falsifying employment records in R. v. K.S. [2021]. The client was charged after allegedly committing time theft by falsifying time records at his job and stealing over $15,000.00 worth of wages. The Firm was able to secure a withdrawal of both charges by calling into question the credibility of evidence presented by another employee who had a prior history of fraud and by showing that the accused had completed work from home. The Firm gathered evidence that manager approval was granted which made it difficult for the business to prosecute the accused for the loss. Forensic data was also reviewed and found errors in the credentials used to log the additional time the employee allegedly did not work.

In 2020, the Firm resolved a $5,000 Home Depot theft and fraud ring without a criminal record in Scarborough in its R. v. M.K. [2020]. The accused was allegedly stealing and returning merchandise at various locations and had 13 fraud related charges. Retail theft has been on the rise with undercover operatives catching offenders. Retailers have a strong interest in apprehending shoplifters because of rising inflation, the business costs associated with theft and to send a message to other shoppers. If you are charged with theft, fingerprints and photographs will be taken and stored by the RCMP. Retailers have been upgrading their video surveillance and data analytics to gather evidence and arrest shoppers at later dates, even after they have left the store.

In 2019, the Firm represented a client accused of stealing from their employer in R. v. O.I. [2019], the Firm successfully resolved the $170,000.00 combined civil and criminal internal employee fraud allegation without a criminal record. The employee was allegedly returning false merchandise and diverting the money to his personal bank account. The company discovered the loss through an internal audit and tracing the transaction records to his bank account. The Firm was able to exclude a significant portion of the alleged loss by challenging the inventory evidence presented by loss prevention of the company.

In 2017, the Firm represented an individual charged with defrauding the Bank of Nova Scotia out of more than $50,000 in the case of R. v. S.A. [2017]. The client worked for Canada Post and allegedly acquired forged fax documents and a fake identity and used it to open a line of credit with the bank. Bank staff became suspicious and reported the matter to police who began surveilling the accused. The Firm carefully reviewed disclosure to look for errors in the investigation before conducting a judicial pre-trial. The Firm was able to defeat the most serious offences, running a contested guilty plea on the least serious offence. The client was granted a conditional discharge, avoiding a permanent criminal record.

In 2017, the Firm represented a client accused of stealing more than $18,500 in cash from CIBC bank in R. v. D.D. [2017]. The employee was arrested after being caught on surveillance loading cash into a bag at the downtown Toronto headquarters. The Firm brought a representative from CIBC to a judicial pre-trial, securing an unusually lenient outcome. The matter was resolved without a criminal record.

In 2016, the Firm represented an individual charged with theft under $5,000 after stealing merchandise from The Bay in R. v. S.Y. [2016]. After carefully reviewing the disclosure and engaging in in-depth negotiations with the Crown, the Firm secured the withdrawal of the charge. Jordan Donich has negotated with internal investigators at The Bay’s corporate headquarters in New York City to resolve theft ring allegations before they are reported to the police.

In 2016, the Firm secured the withdrawal of charged of theft, attempted theft and fraud charges in R. v. J.A. [2016]. The client was charged after their employer discovered an employee theft ring at the Rogers Center, with more than $3,000 worth of Blue Jays merchandise taken.

In 2020, the Firm successfully defended an individual accused of stealing more than $30,000 worth of merchandise from their employer in R. v. E.K. [2020]. The client was arrested after her employer discovered evidence that her and her manager had been stealing merchandise from the store for several months. The Firm conducted and investigation of its own uncovering evidence that the manager had been the primary perpetrator and was attempting to blame the subordinate employee. The Firm presented the evidence to the Crown which ultimately led to the theft over $5,000 charge being withdrawn.

In 2016, the Firm resolved a $1,500.00 Fraud and theft under $5,000 allegation from The Bay, without a criminal record, where a Bay Street employee was charged with shoplifting and caught by undercover security in the menswear department in its R. v. C.T. [2016]. The Firm further secured a withdrawal of nine (9) charges of theft and fraud from The Bay after a year of litigation in its R. v. G.E. [2016].

In the Firm’s R. v. G.G. [2015], it successfully defended a BMO bank teller charged with theft and fraud under $5,000 for allegedly robbing the bank on the job. All charges were withdrawn. The Firm secured a withdrawal of eight theft and fraud charges in its R. v. K.L [2015], including conspiracy to commit an indictable offence for a Target Canada and Staples shoplifting ring.