Source: http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/crime-penalties/petty-theft-hawaii-penalties-defense
Timestamp: 2017-05-22 19:10:59
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Hawaii Petty Theft Charge: HI Penalties and Defense | Criminal Law
Hawaii Petty Theft and Other Theft Laws
Defining Theft in the State of Hawaii
is committed under Hawaii law if the offender, with the intent to deprive another person of property or payment for services, does any of the following:
obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property obtains or exerts control over the property by deception
takes possession of lost, mislaid, or mistakenly delivered property
obtains services by deception (i.e. fraud), or receives stolen property. (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-830.)
Hawaii law also includes shoplifting as
a theft offense. Shoplifting occurs when an offender, with the intent to defraud the shopkeeper or the merchandise owner, does any of the following:
alters the price tag or marking on goods in a store, or
transfers goods in a store from one container to another. (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-830.)
In the state of Hawaii, there also are some specific theft-related offenses set out by statute, including:
unauthorized operation of a recording device in a motion picture theater (§ 708-835.4)
theft of livestock (§ 708-835.5)
telemarketing fraud (§ 708-835.6)
theft of copper (§ 708-835.7)
theft of a beer keg (§ 708.835.8)
unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle (§ 708.836)
theft of utility services (§ 708.839.5)
identity theft (§ 708.839.6)
Classification and Punishment for Theft in Hawaii
Hawaiian law classifies and punishes theft offenses according to the type and value of the property or services involved. As the value of the property increases, the offense is classified as a more serious crime, and the punishment also becomes more severe. Petty Theft and Theft in the Fourth Degree
A person commits the offense of theft in the fourth degree, a petty misdemeanor under Hawaii law, when the offense involves property or services worth less than $100. (Haw. Rev. Stat. §
708-833.) Theft in the fourth degree (or petty theft) is punishable by a
sentence of imprisonment of no more than 30 days, and/or a fine of no more than $1,000. (§ 706-663, § 706-640(e).)
Theft in the third degree will be charged in Hawaii if the value of the property or services is more than $100 (or if the theft is of gasoline, diesel fuel, or other related petroleum products used as propellants and valued at less than $300). (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-832.)
Theft in the third degree is a misdemeanor in Hawaii, punishable by imprisonment for less than one year and/or a fine of less than $2,000. (§ 706-663, § 706-640(d).) Theft in the Second Degree
A theft offense constitutes theft in the second degree in Hawaii if the value of the property or services is greater than $300, if the theft is from the person of another, or if the
theft is of certain agricultural products or equipment worth less than $20,000. (Haw. Rev. Stat. §
708-831.) Theft in the second degree is a class C felony under Hawaii law, punishable by imprisonment for a period of not more than 5 years and/or a fine of not more than $10,000. (§ 706-660(2), § 706-640(c).)
For a first offense of theft in the second degree, the court may impose a minimum sentence of a fine of at least $1,000 or two times the amount of damages sustained by the victim,
whichever is greater. (§ 708-831(2).)
Theft in the first degree is a class B felony under Hawaiia law. A person commits theft in the first degree when the person commits theft of:
property or services with a value of $20,000 or greater
dynamite or any other explosive, or
or services with a value of $300 or greater, which is stolen during a civil defense emergency proclaimed by the governor (i.e. a natural disaster or riot situation). (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-830.5.)
A class B felony carries a punishment of no more than ten years of imprisonment and/or a fine of no more than $25,000. (§ 708-660, § 708-640(b).)
Criminal Penalties for Shoplifting in Hawaii
For shoplifting involving merchandise valued at $100 or less, the offense is a petty misdemeanor, with a sentence of incarceration for no more than 30 days, and the minimum fine of twice the value of the merchandise involved.
Shoplifting involving merchandise valued at between $100 and $300 is a misdemeanor offense under Hawaii law, which can result in a sentence of imprisonment of no more than one year, and a minimum fine of three times the value of the merchandise taken.
If the shoplifting offense involves merchandise valued at more than $300, the crime is a class C felony, with a sentence of incarceration of not more than five years and a minimum fine of four times the value of the merchandise stolen. If the offender has a prior conviction for shoplifting, the fine is doubled. (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-833.5.)
Civil Penalties for Shoplifting in Hawaii
A person who commits shoplifting also may be civilly liable to the store owner for the following:
a civil penalty of $75, and
an additional civil penalty of not less than $50 and not more than $500. (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 663A-2.)
Defenses to Theft in the State of Hawaii
Under Hawaii law, there are several defenses to prosecution for theft, including if it can be shown that at the time of the offense:
the person was unaware that the property or service belonged to another, or
the person believed that he or she had a claim of right or was authorized to exert control over the property.
If the owner of the property was the person’s spouse, it is also a defense that the property constituted "household belongings" and that the two parties were living together at the time of the alleged offense. The term "household belongings" generally refers to items such as furniture, personal effects, vehicles or money. (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-834.) Share on Google Plus