Shoplifting in Colorado is charged as theft under C.R.S. § 18-4-401, with § 18-4-406 serving as the state’s separate concealment statute: concealing unpurchased merchandise, on your person or otherwise, is treated as evidence of intent to steal, but it doesn’t set its own penalty scale. The penalty follows the same value-based classification as any other theft charge, from a petty offense under $300, up through misdemeanors between $300 and $2,000, up through a felony for merchandise valued at $2,000 or more.
A separate consequence beyond the criminal case
Colorado law also allows a store to send a civil demand letter under C.R.S. 13-21-107.5, seeking the value of the merchandise plus an additional penalty. Paying that civil demand does not resolve or dismiss the separate criminal shoplifting charge, they’re two completely different processes.
What to do next
If you’re facing this in Colorado, call Mile High Legal at (720) 853-5779 for a free consultation. The earlier a defense attorney gets involved, the more options are usually still on the table.
