Larceny New York Lawyer
Article 155 of NY Penal Law outline the crime of larceny.
Larceny in New York involves an intent to permanently deprive a person of property. Larceny is separated into two legal categories depending on the value of the property stolen: petit larceny and grand larceny.
- NY Penal Law 155.25 defines Petit Larceny (Class A misdemeanor): Theft of property valued under $1,000.
- Penalty: Up to 1 year in jail.
- Grand Larceny (Felony):
- Article 155.30 defined Fourth Degree Grand Larceny (Class E Felony): Property valued $1,000–$3,000 or a public record, or property consisting of scientific material, a credit card or debit card, firearms or rifles, a motor vehicle that is not a motorcycle, religious document over $100, or another type of merchandise outlined ion the statute. 3.
- Penalty: Up to 4 years in prison.
- Article 155.35 says Grand Larceny in the Third Degree is a Class D Felony Grand Larceny Involves : property valued at $3,000–$50,000, property related to an ATM or stealing retail goods over $3000 as part of a scheme.
- Penalty: Up to 7 years.
- Article 155.40 makes Grand Larceny in the Second Degree a Class C Felony: it criminalizes theft of property of between $50,000–$1,000,000 or the property is obtained by extortion, which means that the alleged thief has used fear to obtain the property, or the property worth $50,000 or more is stolen as part of a common scheme.
- Penalty: Up to 15 years.
- Grand Larceny in the First Degree is a Class B Felony: It includes theft of property over $1,000,000 or stealing stealing a deed relating to certain property.
- Penalty: Up to 25 years.
- Article 155.30 defined Fourth Degree Grand Larceny (Class E Felony): Property valued $1,000–$3,000 or a public record, or property consisting of scientific material, a credit card or debit card, firearms or rifles, a motor vehicle that is not a motorcycle, religious document over $100, or another type of merchandise outlined ion the statute. 3.
| NY Larceny Class | Value Threshold | Maximum Prison Term |
| Petit Larceny | < $1,000 | 1 year |
| Class E Felony | $1,000–$3,000 | 4 years |
| Class D Felony | $3,000–$50,000 | 7 years |
| Class C Felony | $50,000–$1,000,000 | 15 years |
| Class B Felony | > $1,000,000 | 25 years |
Key Considerations in NY:
- Repeat offenders face mandatory minimum sentences (e.g., 1.5 years for Class E with prior felony) .
- Theft charges often coincide with criminal possession of stolen property, which escalates penalties if the value exceeds $1,000.
Federal Grand Larceny Laws
Jurisdiction and Penalties:
Federal grand larceny applies to thefts involving:
- Interstate commerce (e.g., goods transported across state lines) .
- Federal property (e.g., theft from government agencies) .
- High-value thefts (no fixed threshold, but penalties increase with value) .
Sentencing Guidelines:
- Uses a point system based on loss amount and aggravating factors (e.g., $5,000+ adds points) .
- Penalties range from months to 20+ years, with fines up to double the offender’s gain .
Examples of Federal Charges:
- Theft of public funds: Up to 10 years .
- Interstate theft (e.g., cargo theft): Prosecuted under federal statutes .
Statute of Limitations:
- 5 years for non-capital offenses.