In Michigan, most crimes involving theft fall under Michigan’s larceny laws. Larceny consequences run the gamut from misdemeanor sentences to more serious felony charges.
How you are charged and your potential sentence is largely dependent on what it was that was stolen.
| If the item(s) or money stolen was: | Then you face: |
|---|---|
| 1. Worth less than $200 | Misdemeanor charges: up to 93 days in jail and fines of up to $500 or 3 times the value of the stolen property (whichever is more) |
| 2. Worth more than $200, but less than $1,000 | Misdemeanor charges: up to 1 year in jail and fines of up to $2,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen property (whichever is more) |
| 3. Worth more than $1,000 and less than $20,000 | Felony charges: up to 5 years in prison and fines of not more than $10,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen property, whichever is more. |
| 4. Worth more than $20,000 | Felony charges: up to 10 years in prison or fines of not more than $15,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen property, whichever is more. |
If you steal something directly from someone, removing it from them physically, you will be charged with a felony and face up to 10 years in prison.
If you enter a vacant home and remove or damage property or materials inside, you can be charged with a misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison and $1,000 in fines. Similar to burglary, this often applies to vacant homes under construction.
You can be charged with retail fraud in the second degree if you either alter or misrepresent the price on an item as to not pay for or pay less for the item, or if you steal the property.
The value of the property or the value of the amount you were trying to get out of paying must be more than $200 or less than $1,000.
If charged with this criminal offense, you are facing misdemeanor charges with a potential sentence of up to one year in prison and fines of $2,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen property (whichever is more).
You can be charged with retail fraud in the first degree if you either alter or misrepresent the price on an item as to not pay for or pay less for the item, or if you steal the property.
The value of the property or the value of the amount you were trying to get out of paying must be more than $1,000 or more.
This is a felony charge and will have you facing up to 5 years in prison and fines of $10,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen property (whichever is more).