Trenton, New Jersey. By making it clearer how the total worth of stolen property can be used to calculate the seriousness of penalties, new legislation aims to modify New Jersey’s theft laws.
The value of stolen property may be combined under present legislation if the thefts were carried out as a single strategy or course of action. The scope of such phrase is broadened by the new measure to encompass multiple criminal episodes or transactions, regardless of whether they occur within one or multiple counties, involve the same or multiple victims, or both.
The law goes on to say that proof indicating several episodes form a single scheme may include elements like whether the actions took place within a two-year period, whether the same defendant or defendants were involved, and whether the acts were significantly similar in character.
influence on how stealing offenses are graded
The law defines when aggregation can take place to boost charges, but it does not alter the current monetary thresholds for grading stealing offenses. In accordance with the combined theft laws of New Jersey:
- Theft is a second-degree crime if the amount stolen is $75,000 or more.
- Theft is a third-degree crime if the amount is more than $500 but less than $75,000.
- Theft is a fourth-degree crime if the amount is between $200 and $500.
- Theft is a disorderly persons offense if the amount is less than $200.
Related offenses including shoplifting, receiving stolen property, and fencing stolen things are subject to the same financial thresholds. If the worth of the car is $75,000 or more, motor vehicle theft is classified as a second-degree crime; if not, it is classified as a third-degree criminal.
Penalties based on the severity of the offense
Depending on the grade, stealing offenses have different penalties:
- Second-degree crimes carry five to ten years in prison and fines up to $150,000.
- Third-degree crimes carry three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000.
- Fourth-degree crimes carry up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,000.
- Disorderly persons offenses carry up to six months in jail and fines up to $1,000.
The purpose of the law is to provide prosecutors more flexibility and clarity when pursuing theft offenses that involve several occurrences linked by a single plot or scheme.
