Stolen Property in Polk County, Florida
37 cases (2025) · Polk County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Polk County's stolen property cases were marked by an extraordinarily high withheld adjudication rate of 21.6%, nearly double the statewide average of 13%. Conversely, the county had zero dismissals and zero diversion programs, well below statewide norms. This suggests Polk processes cases toward conviction or guilty adjudication but then withholds formal adjudication, sparing defendants a conviction record while still imposing other penalties.
The outcome was a moderate-to-severe sentence profile: average of 3.6 years, with the median at 931 days indicating substantial variation. Prison confined 29.7% of defendants, with 18.9% in county jail, and a notable 29.7% retained private attorneys. The average fine of $182 was higher than most peer counties, suggesting Polk combines withheld adjudication with financial penalties as an alternative to incarceration.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Stolen Property charge in Polk County makes it in front of a judge. Of 318 prosecutor decisions on Stolen Property charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 36.5% — in line with the 37.4% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 75.7% of 37 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 37 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 55 | 3.7 years |
| County Jail | 37 | 7.7 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Stolen Property sentencing in Polk County.
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 25 | 84.0% | 0.0% |
| Black | 12 | 58.3% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 69 | 94.2% | 0.0% | 2.5 years |
| 2024 | 60 | 83.3% | 1.7% | 1 year, 9 months |
| 2025 | 37 | 75.7% | 0.0% | 3.6 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 95 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 61 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 7 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Polk County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,806 | 51.7% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 5,912 | 81.5% | 0.1% |
| Other | 3,574 | 39.9% | 5.6% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,655 | 69.9% | 0.5% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,437 | 77.1% | 0.7% |
| Battery | 1,830 | 62.5% | 2.6% |
| Trespassing | 1,467 | 77.6% | 3.8% |
| DUI | 964 | 97.8% | 0.4% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Stolen Property in Polk County?
The guilty rate is 75.7% based on 37 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Stolen Property in Polk County?
Adjudication is withheld in 21.6% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Stolen Property in Polk County?
The average sentence is 3.6 years, with an average fine of $182 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
51.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 29.7% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Stolen Property in Polk County, Florida (2025). Based on 37 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/stolen-property/polk
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Polk County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 37 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com