In Virginia, there are different types of crimes that involve the destruction of property. If you are arrested for one of these offenses, you need to take the situation seriously and understand the charges.
What are property crimes?
There is a range of crimes involving property, such as a person taking someone else’s property without their consent or destroying property. Damage or destruction of property is the act of deliberately and maliciously destroying or defacing real estate property or personal property without the consent of the rightful owner.
It’s against the law to destroy or deface official buildings such as the Capitol, town hall, library and other public buildings in Virginia. If a person is caught damaging these or other official buildings or public grounds, they can be charged with a Class 6 felony if the damage is greater than $1,000 or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damages are under $1,000.
What is vandalism?
Vandalism is a type of property crime that involves destroying property that requires cleaning up, repairing or replacing to restore. It can cause emotional trauma to the victim and can involve the following means of destroying property:
- Breaking windows
- Defacing public property with graffiti
- Egging windows
- Keying a car
- Knocking down doors or fencing
- Spray-painting someone’s property
What is arson?
Arson is another property crime that involves deliberately setting a property on fire or using an explosive to light it on fire. This crime is viewed very seriously due to the risk to human life. If anyone is inside a building when the arson is committed and suffers injuries or dies, the perpetrator can face severe consequences and penalties.
Some property crimes may seem minor, but they can change your life. You need a strong defense in your case if you face one of these charges.