Georgia Man Attempts to Steal Thousands of Dollars by Borrowing a Cell Phone

Johns Creek citizens shopping at Whole Foods before Thanksgiving last Wednesday tackled a man when Julie Grant yelled for people to stop a man who stole thousands of dollars from her. 

Romel Slay has been accused of asking Grant to borrow her phone in the grocery store and logging into her Venmo account and sending $2500 to an unknown user. Grant was alerted on her smart watch that someone had used her Venmo account shortly after Slay handed her her phone back. 

When Grant realized what Slay had done, she yelled for people to stop him. Customers apparently tackled him until Johns Creek police arrived and arrested him. 

He has been charged with theft. 

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the offense of theft by taking in today's post.

Theft by Taking in Georgia

Theft by Taking in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law as:

When a person unlawfully takes or, being in lawful possession thereof, unlawfully appropriates any property of another with the intention of depriving him of the property, regardless of the manner in which property is taken or appropriated. O.C.G.A. §16-8-2.

The penalty for theft by taking can either be a misdemeanor or felony in Georgia. 

When the theft involves property valued at $500 or less, then the crime will be deemed a misdemeanor in Georgia. The consequences of a misdemeanor include a fine of no more than $1,000 and a jail sentence of no more than 12 months. 

When the theft involves property worth more than $500, the crime will more than likely be deemed a felony. If you receive a felony charge, then theft brings a penalty of a prison sentence of no less than one year and no more than ten years.

The judge in the theft by taking case has the sole discretion when determining whether to charge the offense as a misdemeanor or a felony.

Practice Note

Most theft crimes are charged the same way. This includes:

• Theft by Receiving in Georgia
• Theft by Deception in Georgia
• Theft by Extortion in Georgia, etc.

There are many different types of Property Crimes in Georgia. If you or a loved has been arrested, contact our offices today. A Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney can help you with your case today.