In New York State, Grand Larceny is one of the most common white collar crimes that prosecutors charge. Although the level of the crime can range from Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (NY PL 155.30(1)) punishable by up to 4 years in prison to Grand Larceny in the First Degree (NY PL 155.42) punishable by up to 25 years prison, the following is a New York Grand Larceny “primer” as the law applies to the value of property allegedly stolen. For further information on different sections of the Grand Larceny statute and how the law may impact your particular defense, follow the links below. Having said that, Grand Larceny in New York is defined as follows:
Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree – New York Penal Law Section 155.30(1)
A person is guilty of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree when he steals property and when the value of the property exceeds one thousand dollars. Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree is an “E” felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison.
Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree – New York Penal Law Section 155.35
A person is guilty of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree when he steals property and when the value of the property exceeds three thousand dollars. Grand Larceny in the Third Degree is a “D” felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison.
Grand Larceny in the 2nd Degree – New York Penal Law Section 155.40(1)
A person is guilty of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree when he steals property and when the value of the property exceeds fifty thousand dollars. Grand Larceny in the Second Degree is a “C” felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Grand Larceny in the 1st Degree – New York Penal Law Section 155.42
A person is guilty of Grand Larceny in the First Degree when he steals property and when the value of the property exceeds one million dollars. Grand Larceny in the First Degree is a “B” felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
Attempted Grand Larceny – Any Degree
When a person is guilty of attempting a crime, the level of the crimes is dropped one level or degree. In other words, if a person tried to steal $60,000, but was unsuccessful, then the appropriate charge would not be New York Penal Law 155.40. The appropriate charge would be New York Penal Law 110/155.40 (“110” is the section of the law that defines attempted crimes). Because the charge is an attempted crime, the level of the offense would drop from a “C” felony to a “D” felony. In the event the charge was an attempt to perpetrate New York Penal Law 155.30, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, the level of the offense would drop from an “E” felony to an “A” misdemeanor.
As I noted above, there are numerous other subsections to the Grand Larceny statute that relate to credit card theft, vehicle theft, extortion, etc. Moreover, legal decisions constantly change the landscape of New York Grand Larceny laws by determining when values of thefts can be aggregated from one or more victims as well as how courts should define”value” in different contexts (what is the value of a year old lap top?). For further reading on these issues please follow the appropriate link to the Theft Offense / Larceny Crime section of our New York Criminal Lawyer Blog. Additional information ranging from recent legal decisions, cases in the news and various other New York criminal laws can be found there. Moreover, extensive information regarding the different types and degrees of New York Grand Larceny is available through the respective link to the Saland Law PC website.
While no New York criminal defense firm or individual criminal defense lawyer can guarantee a particular outcome, the New York criminal defense attorneys at Saland Law PC have obtained tremendous results for our clients accused of Grand Larceny in the tens of thousands of dollars to alleged thefts in the millions of dollars. Regardless of whomever you decide to retain to represent you, educate yourself on the applicable law so you can ask the right questions and understand the process.
Saland Law PC is a New York criminal defense firm located in New York. Founded by two former Manhattan prosecutors, Saland Law PC represents clients throughout the New York City region in all white collar arrests and investigations.