Grand theft

Grand theft is a felony crime in the United States defined as the theft of objects exceeding a certain monetary value.

Grand theft is committed when the money, labor, real or personal property stolen is valued at more than $400. Grand Theft can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony and is punishable by up to one year in county jail or 16 months in state prison, depending on the value of the goods stolen.

It is usually distinguished from petty theft where the value of the item taken is substantially lower in value. However, this distinction is not always the case. In the United States, for example, the theft of an automobile is usually considered Grand theft even if the vehicle is a salvage or scrap vehicle having no value or a very small value.

In the United States, the value necessary for a crime to rise from Petty to Grand theft can be as low as $100 depending on the jurisdiction, but is usually $200 or $1000. For instance, if property is in excess of a certain amount, then the charge would be raised to Grand Theft.Fact|date=September 2007

See also

* Larceny