Alabama Theft of Property Laws
Alabama theft of property law is contained in Alabama Code § 13A-8-2. Theft of property -- Definition.
A person commits the crime of theft of property if he or she:
(1) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(2) Knowingly obtains by deception control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(3) Knowingly obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of a law enforcement agency which was explicitly represented to the person by an agent of the law enforcement agency as being stolen; or
(4) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over any donated item left on the property of a charitable organization or in a drop box or trailer, or within 30 feet of a drop box or trailer, belonging to a charitable organization.
The state of Alabama has to prove three elements to convict a person of theft of property.
- that the defendant knowingly obtained the property of others
- defendant obtained that property by deception
- and defendant intended to deprive the others of their property
