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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147 — Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad; exceptions

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 7: Damage to and Tampering with Property, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
Any person who shall, without the consent of the owner or person in charge of a vehicle, aircraft, boat, vessel, locomotive or other rolling stock of a railroad, climb into or upon such vehicle, aircraft, boat, vessel, locomotive or other rolling stock of a railroad, with intent to commit any crime, malicious mischief, or injury thereto, or who, while a vehicle, aircraft, boat, vessel, locomotive or other rolling stock of a railroad is at rest and unattended, shall attempt to manipulate any of the levers and starting crank or other device, brakes or mechanism thereof or to set into motion such vehicle, aircraft, boat, vessel, locomotive or other rolling stock of a railroad, with the intent to commit any crime, malicious mischief, or injury thereto, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, except that the foregoing provision shall not apply when any such act is done in an emergency or in furtherance of public safety or by or under the direction of an officer in the regulation of traffic or performance of any other official duty.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad is a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147.

Which Virginia statute covers entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad?

Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147 (Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad; exceptions).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.