What are the penalties and punishments for vehicle theft?

Vehicle theft is a serious crime with serious penalties, and depending on the intent laws in the state where a defendant is charged and the circumstances of the theft, it can be either a felony or a misdemeanor. Possible sentences for vehicle theft will also be affected by a defendant’s criminal history.

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Can someone who is intoxicated commit larceny?

In most jurisdictions in this country, the evidence must establish that the offender had either the general intent or the specific intent to commit the crime with which he was charged, such as larceny, theft, assault, etc. To prove that an offender is guilty of larceny or theft, the evidence must show that in taking the property, the actor specifically intended to deprive the owner of the property

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Is it larceny if I intend to return the property?

A person who intentionally takes property intending to permanently deprive the owner of the property is guilty of larceny or theft. Anyone who takes or ‘borrows’ property with the intention of returning it, however, should not be charged with larceny.

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What is larceny?

Larceny is typically a nonviolent theft involving the wrongful taking and carrying away of someone else’s personal property. While the actions constituting larceny are illegal in all 50 states, the name of the specific criminal charges differs between states.

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Theft by Deception Charges

When most people think of a “theft” offense, they picture someone taking another person’s property without their knowledge or consent. However, many states have statutes that expand the offense of theft by a charge (or category) of theft called “theft by deception.” Although it may seem like a lesser charge, a theft by deception conviction can have as many (or more) collateral consequences as a regular theft conviction.

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If I borrow property that I fail to return, can I be charged with theft?

A key element of any larceny or theft crime is what an offender intends to do with the property after taking it. Typically, an offender is guilty of a theft crime when he takes the property of another with the intention of permanently depriving him of it. Deciding later to keep the property an offender originally intended to use temporarily and then return becomes a larceny or theft crime at the moment the offender’s intent changes.

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