Legal Definitions - Petit larceny

Petit larceny

Petit larceny is a type of theft where someone steals property that is worth less than a certain amount set by law. The amount varies by state, but it is usually between $100 and $500. This is different from grand larceny, which involves stealing property that is worth more than the amount set by law.

• Stealing a $50 purse from a store would be considered petit larceny.
• Taking a $200 bike from someone's yard would also be petit larceny.
• However, stealing a $1,000 laptop would be considered grand larceny.

These examples illustrate the definition of petit larceny because they involve stealing property that is worth less than the amount set by law. In both cases, the stolen items are worth less than the cutoff amount, so they would be considered petit larceny. The third example involves stealing property that is worth more than the cutoff amount, so it would be considered grand larceny instead.