Larceny / Theft in Arlington County

Larceny cases in Arlington County are dismissed at a notably high rate compared to the rest of Virginia. With a 64 percent dismissal rate versus the statewide average of 48.6 percent, Arlington prosecutors move to dismiss or decline charges in these cases at a rate 15.4 percentage points above the state benchmark. Convictions result in roughly 36 percent of cases, with plea agreements accounting for 35.4 percent of all dispositions. The acquittal rate remains minimal at 0.4 percent, suggesting that cases reaching trial in Arlington County tend to result in guilty verdicts.

Cases typically resolve in 140 days from charge to disposition, though the range is wide—a quarter of cases close within 70 days while another quarter take nearly a year. When charges are reduced rather than dismissed outright, they typically drop to petit larceny in 75 percent of reductions. Defendants convicted of larceny in Arlington face a median sentence of 180 days and an average fine of $361, though sentences vary considerably, with the average reaching 311 days.