Grand larceny is categorized by the value, type, and method of theft in different jurisdictions. Petty theft is a lesser offense, while grand theft is a felony. Punishments vary based on the severity of the crime, and there are special penalties for theft of credit or debit cards, vehicles, and firearms. Theft can also be charged federally for corporate and government thefts and cases involving interstate commerce.
In some jurisdictions, grand larceny has been coded by type of theft, including thefts distinguished by the value of the property stolen, the type of property stolen, and how it was stolen. Since theft is a crime defined by law, it can also be distinguished in scope, depending on the jurisdiction. For example, the United States has large-scale theft statutes at the federal and state levels designed to cover theft under different types of circumstances.
Theft is the theft of personal property from another with the intent to permanently deprive the person of property. The offense is typically separated into petty theft and grand theft, distinguished by a jurisdiction setting a threshold value of the property taken which will cause the offense to go from petty to major. Petty theft is often a lesser offense, and grand theft is more often a felony. The crime of grand larceny is usually analyzed to tailor punishments to gradients of circumstances relating to the value of the stolen property, the type of property stolen, how the property was stolen, and the underlying environment in which the theft occurred .
The primary way jurisdictions separate grand larceny by type is by distinguishing the severity of the theft based on the value of the property taken. In many US states, for example, the severity of the crime is governed by the definition of the degrees, or levels, of punishment available. Gross theft can typically be charged in the first to fourth degree, and first-degree theft warrants the heaviest punishment.
In some jurisdictions, there are different types of grand larceny charges depending on the type of property stolen. New York, for example, has special laws for theft of credit or debit cards, vehicles and firearms. In any case, the law provides for special penalties that increase the seriousness of the offence, regardless of the value of the stolen property.
How the property was stolen can also distinguish the prosecution. New York, for example, has a pickpocket law that makes stealing from another person a special offense, and another law that makes special provisions for theft by extortion or blackmail. This differentiation provides for a type of strict liability for thefts carried out in these ways which takes them outside the normal categorization which assigns the degree based on the value of the property.
In the US, theft can also be charged federally. Federal grand theft typically involves corporate and government thefts, as well as thefts in cases involving interstate commerce, such as Internet or mail-order theft. Charges at this level often have the same kind of differentiation that can be found at the state level.
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