Theft and Burglary Defense Attorney in Utah
Expert defense. Clear answers. Your record and your future protected.
Theft and burglary cases are built on inference: what was taken, who had access, and what somebody is assumed to have intended walking through a door. Richards & Richards tests those assumptions rather than accepting the version already written down.
Callback within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation
We'll call you back within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consult — credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Carl knows how the state builds a case
DUI instructor of instructors
States licensed: Utah · Colorado · Nebraska
Carl Anderson spent years on the other side. That's the advantage.
Before Carl joined Richards & Richards, he was a prosecutor with the Dawson County, Nebraska Attorney's Office. He handled thousands of criminal cases on behalf of the state, including jury trials.
That record means he has firsthand knowledge of how the state builds a case against you: which witnesses they lean on, which evidence they treat as ironclad, which corners they cut when they're overloaded. When he reviews a DUI stop or a drug-possession report, he's looking at it with the same training as the prosecutor you're up against.
DUI is his specialty. Carl is certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a standardized field sobriety test administrator, instructor, and instructor of instructors. He knows exactly how the officer who arrested you was trained — and how officers deviate from that training. If the arrest was bad, we find out at the suppression hearing, not at trial.
Carl is licensed in Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. He's a father of five. He speaks Spanish.
He took the time to explain everything to me face-to-face. Whenever I contacted him he would return my call or email within a few hours.
— Andrew, Weber County · DUI Defense
Types of Theft Cases We Handle
These charges sit on a scale, and small differences in the alleged facts move a case a long way along it.
Not sure which one fits your case? Tell us what happened and we will tell you where you stand.
Talk to Us →Serving Ogden and Communities Across Utah
Our office is in Ogden and we defend theft and burglary cases across nine Utah counties, from justice court citations through felony charges in district court.
Weber County
North Ogden, Ogden, Riverdale, Roy, South Ogden
Davis County
Bountiful, Centerville, Clearfield, Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse
Salt Lake County
Draper, Herriman, Murray, Riverton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley City
Utah County
American Fork, Eagle Mountain, Lehi, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Spanish Fork, Springville
Cache County
Hyrum, Logan, Mendon, Nibley, Providence, Smithfield
Box Elder County
Brigham City, Garland, Mantua, Tremonton, Willard
Tooele County
Grantsville, Stansbury Park, Tooele
Sanpete County
Ephraim, Manti, Mount Pleasant
Rich County
Garden City, Randolph
Not seeing your city? We defend theft and property cases across Utah. Call and we will confirm whether we can help with yours.
Call 801-528-9357Why Choose Richards & Richards for Your Theft Case
Most complaints about lawyers are not about who won. They are about communication — the lawyer goes quiet, and you learn what happened to your case after it has already happened. We built this firm around the opposite.
You Get a Real Defense Plan
After your consultation you get a written summary of where the case stands: what the State has to prove, what its valuation and its theory of intent rest on, where the gaps are, and what we intend to do about each of them.
One Attorney, One Point of Contact
The attorney on your case handles your case. You are not shuffled between five lawyers or handed to a paralegal who cannot make decisions. When you call, you reach the person who knows your file.
A Former Prosecutor on Your Side
Carl Anderson prosecuted criminal cases for the state before joining the firm. He knows how the other side builds a file, what they rely on, and which parts of it will not hold up when someone actually tests them.
We Are Transparent About Costs
You get our rate and retainer requirement upfront, plus an honest estimate of what the work costs through resolution. We also tell you plainly what we cannot promise, because no lawyer can promise you an outcome.
Clear Communication, Always
We answer calls and emails within 24 business hours. When something significant happens on your case, you hear it from a person, not a form letter. We explain what it means and what happens next.
A Family Firm Since 1988
Two generations of Ogden-raised attorneys. We are invested in this community, and we built this firm on the principle that you are not just a case number.
Ready to talk it through? A one-hour consultation is $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →What Our Clients Say
Five-star reviews from our public Google Business Profile, from people who came to Richards & Richards in the middle of an investigation, an arrest, or a charge.
I needed help keeping a stalking injunction in place. Kevin did an excellent job putting my case together and making me feel comfortable about the situation. When it came time for the hearing, we had no problem keeping the injunction in place.Ben F.
Helped me get a much better ruling on a case I originally thought was going to ruin me. Kevin Richards negotiated it down to a minor inconvenience — at a very affordable rate with payment options.Ben
I have used Mr. Anderson many times to represent my son and I have always been impressed with the fact that he treats us like family.Anonymous
Mr. Anderson made sure I understood every aspect of my case and always kept me informed. He was available to answer questions at all hours of the day.Emma
Very professional, tough. Gets you what you want. Worked with several attorneys and he was the only one who got us the results we wanted and needed.Jasmin S.
He took the time to explain everything to me face-to-face. Whenever I contacted him he would return my call or email within a few hours.Andrew
Reviews are sourced from our public Google Business Profile. Some have been condensed for length; the clients and the underlying text are real. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Every review here started with one conversation. If you are facing a criminal charge in Utah, yours can start today.
Request a Consultation →Questions We Get About Utah Theft Charges
These come up in almost every first consultation. Here is what we tell people.
- What makes theft a felony rather than a misdemeanor in Utah?
- Mostly the alleged value of the property, though not only that. Prior convictions and the type of property involved can also raise the level. The value the State uses is an estimate, and estimates can be challenged.
- What is the difference between burglary and trespass?
- Intent. Trespass is about being somewhere unlawfully. Burglary adds the allegation that you entered intending to commit an offense inside. That extra element is where most burglary defenses live.
- They say I am on camera. Is the case already over?
- No. Video shows presence, and presence is not the whole charge. Identification, timing, what the footage does not show, and what the State still has to prove about intent all stay live. Bring us whatever you have been shown.
- Can I pay the money back and make this go away?
- Restitution can matter to an outcome, but it does not dismiss a case on its own. Offering to pay before you have legal advice can also be treated as an admission. Talk to us before you make that call.
- Is shoplifting a criminal charge or just a store matter?
- It is a criminal charge, and the store may also send a separate civil demand. The two run independently, and paying one does not resolve the other. Read anything you are sent carefully before you respond to it.
- Will a theft conviction affect my job?
- Theft convictions are treated differently by employers than most other offenses. Anything touching on honesty tends to carry weight in hiring and licensing well past the sentence itself. That is a reason to take even a small case seriously.
- What happens at my first court date?
- The charge is read and a plea is entered. Nothing about the evidence is decided. It is also the point at which the case starts moving on a schedule, so it is better to have someone with you than to catch up afterwards.
- What should I bring to the consultation?
- The charging paperwork and anything about the property itself. Receipts, ownership records, messages, and anything showing where you were. If police spoke with you, write down what was asked and what you said while it is fresh.
General information about Utah law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts.
Still have a question about your own situation? That is what the consultation is for. One hour, $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →The file already has a theory. Yours needs one too.
Theft and burglary cases are built out of assumptions about intent and value. The sooner someone tests those assumptions, the more room there is to work.
$100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case. Callback within 24 business hours.