Welcome to Beerup Law
Ruth Beerup is an experienced St. Charles criminal defense attorney who has been getting great results defending against property crime charges for 25 years. She knows how to find law enforcement mistakes that can lead to a case being dismissed, has exceptional negotiating skills that result in favorable plea deals, and can fight at trial if it comes to that.
Property crimes are unusual in that they can be the result of a misunderstanding much more often than other crimes. It is not unheard of for someone to be charged with trespass for being somewhere they thought they had every right to be or possessing stolen property that they had no idea was stolen. When that is the case, you need someone like Ruth to advocate on your behalf. Getting the police or a prosecutor to see your side of the story is not easy, but Ruth can do it with a unique combination of air-tight logic and empathetic compassion. If you or a loved one have been charged with a property crime in the St. Louis area, call her for a free consultation.
Missouri Property Crime Categories
Below is a list of Missouri property crimes and a little about them.
- Stealing- If you are charged with stealing, make sure you know what you are facing. Under Missouri law, stealing can be charged as anything from a class D misdemeanor to a class A felony.
- Tampering- Can be charged for interfering with utilities, damaging property, computer hacking, and stealing a car.
- Burglary 1st Degree- Unlawfully entering a building to commit a crime either with a weapon or with a person present in the building.
- Burglary 2nd Degree- Entering or remaining unlawfully in a structure to commit a crime absent the aggravating factors present in burglary 1st degree.
- Arson- This includes both deliberate and reckless acts.
- Trespass- Entering or remaining in a building or on property, but without the intent to commit a crime.
- Receiving Stolen Property- Covered under the stealing statute, with the same levels of punishment.
- Forgery- Most often passing bad checks.
- Property Damage- Includes attempts to defraud insurers.
- Shoplifting- Most often an ordinance violation, but not always.
Property crimes cover a wide range of offenses, and the case law has significant complexity. Each category above has its own page where it is discussed in more detail, so if you want more information, feel free to click through on the text or use the navigation bar to dig deeper. If you would rather discuss your case in detail with an experienced criminal defense attorney, use the number at the top of the page, and Ruth would be happy to answer your questions and get started on defending your rights.