943.20 – Theft
943.20 – Theft
Statute Title: Theft
Legal Definition (WI Statutes): "Whoever intentionally takes and carries away, uses, transfers, conceals, or retains possession of movable property of another without the other's consent and with intent to deprive the owner permanently of possession."
Layman’s Terms: Theft means knowingly taking something that belongs to someone else without asking—and with no intention of giving it back. This can be done by sneaking, lying, or even by simply walking off with it while pretending nothing happened. It includes physical property, digital goods, and even unauthorized use of someone else’s accounts or services.
Examples:
The Coffee Shop Swipe: Someone sees a phone left charging at a coffee shop, unplugs it, and walks out with it, planning to resell it online. They never try to return it and had no intention of giving it back.
The Shopping Cart Snatch: A person notices an unattended purse in a shopping cart, grabs the wallet inside while the owner is distracted, and uses the credit card to buy electronics. Even though they didn’t take the whole purse, it’s still considered theft.
The Employee Grab: A cashier at a gas station pockets small amounts of cash from the register each shift. Over time, it adds up to hundreds of dollars. Even though it’s done over time, it qualifies as theft.
The Craigslist Scam: Someone posts fake ads for rental properties, collects down payments from several people, and then disappears without delivering anything. This digital deception still counts as theft.
The Car Key Switch: A valet driver makes a copy of a customer’s car key, then returns later at night and steals the car. Using deception and intent to permanently deprive, this is clear-cut theft.
Penalties (based on value):
Under $2,500: Class A Misdemeanor – up to 9 months jail, $10,000 fine
$2,500–$5,000: Class I Felony – up to 3.5 years prison
$5,000–$10,000: Class H Felony – up to 6 years prison
Over $10,000: Class G Felony – up to 10 years prison
