Also known as: larceny · theft
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A common law crime consisting of a trespassory taking and carrying away of tangible personal property of another with the intent to deprive the owner of that interest permanently or for an unreasonable time.
Tori Taylor enters Tiffany Torres's unlocked dorm room and removes a laptop from the desk. Tori carries the laptop out of the building intending never to return it. The taking satisfies the trespassory element because Tiffany never consented to the removal.
Travis Tate approaches Tanya Tang on the street and demands her purse while displaying a knife. Tanya surrenders the purse and Travis flees with it. The underlying theft supplies the theft element required for robbery liability.
Tara Tran enters Topaz Mining's office and removes a promissory note from the desk. Tara carries the note away intending to keep it permanently. The taking of the tangible instrument satisfies the elements of larceny.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Taliah Tang lifts a watch from a display case and slides it into her pocket before leaving the store. The minimal movement of the watch meets the asportation requirement even though the distance traveled is short.
Tundra Resources employee removes a company motorcycle valued at eight hundred dollars from the lot without permission. The value exceeds five hundred dollars so the offense qualifies as a third-degree felony under the grading statute.
Tidal Energy's delivery driver takes a customer's package from the loading dock before any lawful possession transfers. Because the taking occurs without consent at the moment of acquisition the conduct constitutes larceny rather than embezzlement.
Larceny requires a trespassory taking at the moment the defendant acquires the property. Embezzlement instead requires that the defendant already hold lawful possession before converting the property.
Supporting sources
Yes. The defendant need only move the property however slightly as part of the carrying-away process. Any movement that demonstrates control meets the requirement.
Supporting sources
Only tangible personal property that is capable of being possessed and that has some value can be the subject of larceny. Real property and services fall outside the offense.
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Theft is a felony of the third degree when the amount exceeds five hundred dollars or when the property is a firearm, automobile, or other listed motor-propelled vehicle.
Supporting sources
…which charged appellant with delinquency alleged that his act, "if done by an adult, would constitute the crime or crimes of Larceny." The judge acknowledged that the proof might not establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but rejected appellant's contention that such proof was required by the Fourteenth Amendment.…