South Dakota Theft and Shoplifting Laws

If you're looking for a South Dakota online theft or shoplifting class, it's important to know your South Dakota theft laws. This can help you understand more about your offense.

Please note that the South Dakota theft laws displayed on this page are to help you to understand your state South Dakota theft, shoplifting and stealing laws. While we have tried to show the most up-to-date version of South Dakota theft laws, we do not guarantee its accuracy. This page is not a substitute for legal advice from a lawyer. It is in your best interest that you find an appropriate attorney for more information about South Dakota theft laws.

Class	Price
4 Hour Theft Class	$99	Register Now
6 Hour Theft Class	$129	Register Now
8 Hour Theft Class	$149	Register Now
12 Hour Theft Class	$199	Register Now
16 Hour Advanced Class	$249	Register Now
24 Hour Extended Theft Class	$349	Register Now

22-30A-1. Theft--Violation.

Any person who takes, or exercises unauthorized control over, property of another, with intent to deprive that person of the property, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-2. Transfer of another's property as theft.

Any person who transfers property of another, or any interest in the property of another, with intent to benefit the transferor or another who is not entitled thereto, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-3. Theft by deception.

Any person who obtains property of another by deception is guilty of theft. A person deceives if, with intent to defraud, that person:

(1) Creates or reinforces a false impression, including false impressions as to law, value, intention, or other state of mind. However, as to a person's intention to perform a promise, deception may not be inferred from the fact alone that that person did not subsequently perform the promise;

(2) Prevents another from acquiring information which would affect the other person's judgment of a transaction;

(3) Fails to correct a false impression which the deceiver previously created or reinforced, or which the deceiver knows to be influencing another to whom the deceiver stands in a fiduciary or confidential relationship; or

(4) Fails to disclose a known lien, adverse claim, or other legal impediment to the enjoyment of property which the deceiver transfers or encumbers in consideration for property the deceiver obtains, whether such impediment is or is not valid, or is or is not a matter of official record.

The term, deceive, does not, however, include falsity as to matters having no pecuniary significance or puffing by statements unlikely to deceive reasonable persons.

22-30A-4. Theft by threat.

A person is guilty of theft if the person obtains property of another by threatening to:

(1) Inflict bodily injury on anyone or commit any criminal offense;

(2) Accuse anyone of a criminal offense;

(3) Expose any secret tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule, or to impair any person's credit or business repute;

(4) Take or withhold action as an official, or cause an official to take or withhold action;

(5) Bring about or continue a strike, boycott, or other collective unofficial action, if the property is not demanded or received for the benefit of the group in whose interest the actor purports to act;

(6) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another's legal claim or defense; or

22-30A-6. Theft of lost or mislaid property.

Any person who comes into control of property of another that the person knows to have been lost, estrayed, mislaid, or delivered under a mistake as to the nature or amount of the property or the identity of the recipient, is guilty of theft if, with intent to deprive the owner thereof, the person fails to take reasonable measures to restore the property to a person entitled to have the property.

22-30A-7. Receiving stolen property.

Any person who receives, retains, or disposes of property of another knowing that the property has been stolen, or believing that the property has probably been stolen, unless the property is received, retained, or disposed of with the intent to restore the property to the owner, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-8. Obtaining property or services without paying.

Any person is guilty of theft if that person intentionally obtains property or service which that person knows is available only for compensation, by deception, threat, or other means to avoid payment for the service or property.

22-30A-8.1. Obtaining property or services with false credit card.

Any person who, by use of a credit card issued to another person, without the consent of the person to whom issued, or by use of a credit card which has been revoked or canceled or has expired, or by use of a falsified, mutilated, altered, or counterfeit credit card obtains property or services on credit, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-9. Diverting services of another.

Any person who, having control over the disposition of services of others, to which that person is not entitled, diverts such services to his or her own benefit or to the benefit of another not entitled thereto, is guilty of theft.

22-30A-10. Embezzlement of property received in trust.

Any person, who has been entrusted with the property of another and who, with intent to defraud, appropriates such property to a use or purpose not in the due and lawful execution of his or her trust, is guilty of theft. A distinct act of taking is not necessary to constitute theft pursuant to this section.

22-30A-10.1. Return of stolen property considered in mitigation of punishment--Return not a defense.

If any person, who has been accused of theft, restores or returns the property allegedly stolen before an indictment or information is laid before a magistrate, such fact may be considered in mitigation of punishment. The restoration or return of the property is not a defense nor may it be considered by the finder of fact.

22-30A-11. Disqualification from public office for conversion of public property--Duration.

Any person convicted of theft under § 22-30A-10 for unlawfully obtaining property of this state, of any of its political subdivisions, or of any agency or fund in which the state or its people are interested shall, in addition to the punishment prescribed by § 22-30A-17 and chapter 22-6, be disqualified from holding any public office, elective or appointive, under the laws of this state, so long as that person remains a defaulter to this state or any of its political subdivisions, agencies, or funds.

22-30A-12. Unauthorized operation of vehicle or vessel as misdemeanor.

Any person who, without the intent to deprive the owner thereof, operates another's motor vehicle or vessel without the consent of the owner, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

22-30A-13. Theft by conversion of rented personalty after notice of termination.

Any person who intentionally converts to his or her own use any leased or rented personal property, after receiving proper notice demanding the return of the property following expiration of the lease or rental agreement, is guilty of theft. For the purposes of this section, the term, proper notice, means a written demand for the return of the property addressed and mailed by certified or registered mail to the lessee or renter or personal service of such written demand in the manner provided for service of a summons.

22-30A-14. Affirmative defense to conversion of leased or rented personalty.

The following factors, taken as a whole, constitute an affirmative defense to a prosecution commenced under § 22-30A-13:

(1) That the lessee accurately stated his or her name and address at the time of rental;

(2) That the lessee's failure to return the item at the expiration date of the rental contract was lawful;

(3) That the lessee failed to receive the lessor's notice personally; and

(4) That the lessee returned the personal property to the owner or lessor within forty-eight hours of receiving notice of the commencement of prosecution, together with any charges for the overdue period and the value of damages to the personal property, if any.

22-30A-15. Theft as single offense incorporating previous separate offenses--Terms used in alleging theft.

Conduct constituting theft pursuant to this chapter constitutes a single offense including any separate offenses committed or charged before the effective date of this chapter and known as larceny, embezzlement, extortion, fraudulent conversion, false pretense, and receiving stolen property. An accusation of theft may be supported by evidence that the theft was committed in any manner that would be theft under this chapter, notwithstanding the specification of a different manner in the indictment or information, subject only to the power of a court to ensure a fair trial by granting a continuance or other appropriate relief if the conduct of the defense would be prejudiced by lack of fair notice or by surprise.

22-30A-16. Ignorance and honest claim of right as affirmative defenses to theft.

It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for theft that the defendant:

(1) Was unaware that the property taken was that of another; or

(2) Acted under an honest and reasonable claim of right to the property involved or that the defendant had a right to acquire or dispose of the property as he or she did.

22-30A-17. Grand theft--Felony.

Theft is grand theft, if the property stolen:

(1) Exceeds one thousand dollars in value;

(2) Is a firearm;

(3) Is taken from the person of another; or

(4) The property stolen is cattle, horses, mules, buffalo, or captive nondomestic elk.

Grand theft is a Class 4 felony.

22-30A-17.1. Aggravated grand theft--Felony.

Theft is aggravated grand theft, if the value of the property stolen exceeds one hundred thousand dollars. Aggravated grand theft is a Class 3 felony.

22-30A-17.2. Petty theft in the first degree--Misdemeanor.

Theft is petty theft in the first degree, if the value of the property stolen exceeds four hundred dollars but does not exceed one thousand dollars. Petty theft in the first degree is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

22-30A-17.3. Petty theft in the second degree--Misdemeanor.

Theft is petty theft in the second degree, if the value of the property stolen is four hundred dollars or less. Petty theft in the second degree is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

22-30A-18. Aggregation of related thefts to determine degree of offense.

Amounts involved in thefts, whether from the same person or several persons, committed pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, may be aggregated in determining the degree of the offense.

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