Legal Definitions - single-impulse plan

The term single-impulse plan refers to a legal principle, often applied in cases of theft (larceny), where multiple acts of taking property are considered to be part of one continuous criminal offense rather than separate, distinct crimes. This doctrine applies when the perpetrator forms a single, overarching intent or plan to steal, and the subsequent acts of taking property are merely components of that initial, uninterrupted scheme.

The significance of a single-impulse plan often lies in how the value of the stolen property is aggregated. If multiple thefts are deemed part of a single plan, their combined value can determine whether the crime is charged as a misdemeanor or a more serious felony, which typically carries harsher penalties.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a single-impulse plan:

• Retail Theft Scenario: Imagine a person enters a large electronics store with the specific intention of stealing a new gaming console, a set of wireless headphones, and a video game. They first place the console in their cart, then proceed to another aisle to pick up the headphones, and finally grab the game before attempting to leave the store without paying. Even though three separate items were taken, a prosecutor might argue that this constitutes a single act of larceny under a single-impulse plan because the individual's intent to steal all three items was formed and executed during one continuous visit to the store.

• Construction Site Pilfering: A thief decides to steal a large quantity of copper piping from a commercial construction site over several days. On Monday, they take a small bundle of pipes. On Tuesday, they return to the same site and take another, larger bundle. On Wednesday, they take a third. If investigators can demonstrate that the thief's initial intent was to systematically acquire a significant amount of copper from that specific site, and each subsequent taking was merely a continuation of that original scheme, these separate acts could be aggregated into a single larceny charge based on a single-impulse plan. The combined value of all the copper would then determine the severity of the charge.

• Vehicle Stripping: A person targets a specific parked car with the goal of stripping it for parts. On the first night, they remove the tires. The following night, they return to the same vehicle and take the car stereo and speakers. On a third night, they remove the catalytic converter. If the evidence shows that the individual's initial intent was to systematically dismantle and steal multiple components from that particular car, these distinct acts of taking could be considered part of a single, continuous criminal enterprise under a single-impulse plan. This could lead to a single, more serious felony charge if the total value of all stolen parts exceeds the threshold for grand larceny.