Maine statute
17-A M.R.S. § 356-A — Theft of lost, mislaid or mistakenly delivered property
Current through First Special Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature (current through October 1, 2025)
Part of Chapter 15: Theft, Maine Revised Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of 17-A M.R.S. § 356-A
Statutory text current through the First Special Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature (current through October 1, 2025). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the Maine Revised Statutes from the Revisor of Statutes' official published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Maine and has not been certified by the Secretary of State.
1. A person is guilty of theft if:
A. The person obtains or exercises control over the property of another that the person knows to have been lost or mislaid or to have been delivered under a mistake as to the identity of the recipient or as to the nature or amount of the property and, with the intent to deprive the owner of the property at any time subsequent to acquiring it, the person fails to take reasonable measures to return it. Violation of this paragraph is a Class E crime; or
B. The person violates paragraph A and:
(1) The value of the property is more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;
(2) The property stolen is a firearm or an explosive device. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;
(3) The person is armed with a dangerous weapon at the time of the offense. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;
(4) The value of the property is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime;
(5) The value of the property is more than $500 but not more than $1,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class D crime; or
(6) The person has 2 or more prior convictions for any combination of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph or for engaging in substantially similar conduct to that of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph in another jurisdiction. The Maine offenses are: theft; any violation of section 401 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the structure is theft; any violation of section 405 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the motor vehicle is theft; any violation of section 651; any violation of section 702, 703 or 708; or attempts to commit any of these crimes. Section 9-A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.