Understanding Larceny

 Posted on August 17, 2018 in Theft and Property Crimes

In July 2018, Stamford police received reports of two stolen cars in the Ridges neighborhood (the calls were two hours apart). Police apprehended the suspect driving the second car and charged him with reckless driving, driving without a license, and first-degree larceny, among other offenses.

What Is Larceny?

Larceny is a type of property crime. Under Connecticut law, a person commits larceny when “he wrongfully takes, obtains or withholds” property from its owner. The accused must have “intent to deprive another of property or to appropriate the same to himself or a third person.”

Larceny takes many forms, including (but not limited to):

• Embezzlement, which happens when someone is entrusted with someone else’s property and takes it for himself;
• Obtaining property by false pretenses or false promise, which basically means someone manages to obtain someone else’s property by defrauding them;
• Extortion, which happens when someone hands over their property because they have been threatened in some way;
• Theft of services, which happens when a person intentionally avoids paying for services rendered (like leaving a restaurant without paying for the meal or not paying for a hotel room);
• Receiving stolen property, which refers to someone who receives or disposes of property he knows has been stolen;
• Shoplifting, which happens when someone intentionally takes something from a store without paying for it;
• Library theft, which basically means that someone takes a book or other library material without the proper authorization; and
• Theft of utility service, which happens when someone illegally obtains electric, gas, water, cable or Internet services, maybe by false means or tampering with software or equipment.

These are only some of the forms that larceny can take. An experienced attorney can explain the other types of larceny that you could be charged with committing.

How Is Larceny Punished?

As with any crime, the type of punishment depends on the degree of the offense. Larceny can be characterized as a felony or misdemeanor. There are also varying degrees of seriousness within those two classifications.

For example, larceny in the first degree is a Class B felony, punishable by one to 20 years in jail, up to $15,000 in fines, or both. Larceny is a first-degree offense when:

• The property or service is obtained by extortion;
• The property or service is worth more than $20,000;
• The property is a motor vehicle worth more than $20,000; or
• The property is obtained by defrauding the community and is worth more than $2,000.

Reach Out to Us for Help Today

Contact the experienced Stamford criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner today if you charged with committing larceny. This is a serious offense, which is why you need an experienced attorney who will mount an effective defense on your behalf.

Sopurces:

https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-pursue-2-stolen-cars-on-the-Merritt-Parkway-13088132.php

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/rpt/2012-R-0062.htm