If I steal a stolen car, and get caught, what would the penalty be? Would the original thief, if also caught, get an equal sentence?
If you steal a car, you are subject to prosecution. It wouldn’t matter that you weren’t the only one who stole it.
If the sequence is: Fred has a car. Frank steals it. Francis steals it from Frank, Francis gets caught in it, there’s a possability that the police would miss the Frank connection. However, niether Frank nor Francis are prosecutable.
Amount of time one gets for a crime depends on where the crime occured (jurisdiction), the crime charged as well as the individual’s personal background. Some one who’s never been in trouble before is likely to get less of a sentence than some one with priors. (generalization).
I knew of a guy who had been in a stolen car (not driving it), it happened when he was like 19 or 20. He was about 35 by the time he was done ‘paying’ for the crime (probation, then violated, prison, half way house, ran off, sentenced for escape, paroled, flunked parole X3, finally discharged). Please don’t do it. ok?
I swear to god I previewed.
That should read BOTH Frank and Francis can be subject to prosecution.
::: bam bam bam :::
::bangs head on monitor::
Oh, i’m not thinking about doing it, I was just curious.
A product can be taxed multiple times on multiple sales, so I was wondering if a crime can be prosecuted multiple times for the same product being stolen.
Think of it this way:
When the crime is prosecuted, the charge is read “that on or about such and such a date/time, the accused did unlawfully do such and such”. So, change any of the variables, you have a different crime. (you could even get charged for stealing the same car on two or more different occasions for example).
Yes, because the crime is not the theft of a particular item, but rather the act of stealing [something]. Theft will be defined as something like “the unlawful taking of personal property belonging to another without his consent.” It almost always will also include the theft of stolen property, so that the fact that you didn’t take it from the original owner wouldn’t mean you weren’t still committing the crime. It is the act of stealing that is the crime, not the item you stole, just like it is the act of assaulting someone that is the crime, not the person you assaulted – so multiple assaults = multiple crimes, even if there is only one victim.
WRING – I read your first post and thought, WHAT??? WRING is drunk! 
Friends don’t let friends post drunk 
I know, I couldn’t believe it, - glad I looked back and saw it or this poor person would have been out stealing stolen cars…
I can’t believe you liberals. I’m sure you think it’s the car’s fault that it got stolen.
[sub]What do you mean I need to read the whole thread before posting?[/sub]
[sub]well at least he was nice enough to not mention the typo, too[/sub]
wouldn’t ya know I’d flub a grounder like that?
And, actually, you’re right, Freedom, some cars are just begging to be stolen!
Thanks alot.
Because of that seemingly innocent typo, I’m now sitting in the processing room of Cook County’s special Auto Theft Intelligence Team (A.T.I.T.).
I’m looking at 10-15 years for stealing a damn Chevelle that had already been stolen 4 (FOUR!) times.
Something about possession being 9/10 of the law.
My ass.
Damn you’re quick!
not a problem - when you go before the judge, just tell 'em that you asked the question on an internet message board and were told that it was perfectly ok to steal a stolen car. They’ll let you go right away!**
**[sub]naturally, since I am not a lawyer, um, this particular piece of advice is absolute bunk. :D[/sub]
In Texas and, I suspect, other places there is another charge, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (Jodi or any other lawyer who might happen by - is it acceptable usage to cap a criminal charge the way I just did?), that is used when someone is apprehended in a stolen car but the prosecutor for whatever reason doesn’t think Grand Theft Auto is appropriate (i.e., the subject has a good enough story to convince a jury that they didn’t actually steal the car).