Legal Definitions - take by stealth

To take by stealth means to unlawfully acquire personal property secretly, without the owner's knowledge or consent, typically by using hidden actions or avoiding detection. It refers to the act of stealing something in a surreptitious or unobserved manner.

Here are some examples illustrating this concept:

• Example 1: A shopper at a supermarket places a candy bar into their coat pocket instead of their shopping cart, then proceeds to leave the store without paying for it.

  Explanation: This illustrates "taking by stealth" because the shopper acquired the candy bar secretly, without the store's knowledge or permission, by concealing it to avoid detection and payment.

• Example 2: During a large corporate event, an attendee notices an unattended laptop bag and, while others are distracted, quietly slips a high-end smartphone out of the bag and into their own pocket before walking away.

  Explanation: This demonstrates "taking by stealth" as the smartphone was acquired surreptitiously, without the owner's awareness or consent, by exploiting a moment of distraction to avoid being seen.

• Example 3: A person visiting a friend's house admires a unique collectible figurine. When the friend leaves the room, the visitor quickly and quietly puts the figurine into their backpack, intending to keep it.

  Explanation: This is an act of "taking by stealth" because the visitor secretly took the figurine without the friend's knowledge or permission, using a moment of absence to avoid detection.