Legal Definitions - carry away

In legal terms, carry away refers to the act of moving property that has been unlawfully taken. This movement, often a critical element in proving crimes like theft or larceny, demonstrates that the perpetrator gained control over the item, even if the movement itself is very slight or brief.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of "carry away":

• Shoplifting Scenario: A customer in a department store takes a watch from a display case and places it into their shopping bag, intending to leave without paying. Even if store security apprehends them before they reach the exit, the act of moving the watch from the display into their bag constitutes "carrying away."

  This illustrates "carry away" because the individual moved the property from its rightful place of display to a concealed location, demonstrating an exercise of control over the item with the intent to deprive the owner.

• Vehicle Theft Attempt: An individual breaks into a car, starts the engine, and manages to move the vehicle just a few feet forward from its parking spot before the engine stalls and they abandon it.

  Here, the slight movement of the car, even though it was only a short distance and the theft was not completed, fulfills the "carry away" requirement. It shows the perpetrator gained control and moved the property, however minimally.