Theft is one of the most frequently committed crimes and has a wide range of consequences for someone who is convicted. Considering that almost anything can be stolen, there are various classifications for theft crimes in the legal system. The charges a person will receive
Theft is one of the most frequently committed crimes and has a wide range of consequences for someone who is convicted. Considering that almost anything can be stolen, there are various classifications for theft crimes in the legal system. The charges a person will receive depend entirely on the nature of the specific theft they are being accused of. Someone can receive felony charges in certain severe situations, and those charges have the potential to be life-altering if a conviction is made.
Defining Theft Through the Law
Theft is a broad term used to describe the many crimes involving a person stealing property that does not belong to them. The legal definition describes theft as intentionally taking property from another person or entity without consent and with the intent to deprive that person of its benefits. Different types of theft crimes include:
- Embezzlement: This charge applies when someone who is given the responsibility of handling money for someone else or for a business takes that money for their own use without permission. Embezzlement is most commonly committed by employees who have access to their employer’s finances.
- Extortion: A person has committed extortion when they take personal items or money from another person by intimidating or threatening them. The threats do not need to be carried out immediately and can include actions such as physical harm, exposing someone’s secrets, accusing someone of a crime they did not commit, and damaging their property.
- Larceny: Larceny is the crime many people think of when they hear the word theft. It involves taking someone’s property with the intent to deprive them of that property permanently. Larceny is a specific crime under the umbrella of theft because it is only applicable in situations involving tangible property, such as jewels or home goods.
- Burglary: Burglary is a serious crime that involves entering someone’s property without permission with the intent to steal things, harm them, or commit another felony crime. Burglary is not limited to private homes and can include entering property such as stores, cars, boats, and other structures.
- Robbery: This charge can be brought upon anyone who takes property from another person by using force such as violence or intimidation. Verbal threats and violent physical contact without a weapon are examples of force that can lead to robbery charges. Robbery is elevated to armed robbery when a weapon is used.
- Deception: A person has committed a theft through deception if they have tricked another person into giving them their personal property. For example, if someone asks to borrow their friend’s bike with the intention of keeping it, it would be classified as “larceny by trick.”
Theft crimes can also be classified based on the value of what was stolen. This method of classification includes petty theft and grand theft.
- Petty theft, also known as petit larceny, occurs when someone steals prop