Vermont Theft and Shoplifting Laws

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

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

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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

§ 2501. Grand larceny

A person who steals from the actual or constructive possession of another, other than from his or her person, money, goods, chattels, bank notes, bonds, promissory notes, bills of exchange or other bills, orders, or certificates, or a book of accounts for or concerning money, or goods due or to become due or to be delivered, or a deed or writing containing a conveyance of land, or any other valuable contract in force, or a receipt, release or defeasance, writ, process, or public record, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $5,000.00, or both, if the money or other property stolen exceeds $900.00 in value.

§ 2502. Petit larceny

For offenses mentioned in section 2501 of this title where the money or other property stolen does not exceed $900.00 in value, the court may sentence the person convicted to imprisonment for not more than one year or to pay a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

§ 2503. Larceny from the person

A person who steals or attempts to steal from the person and custody of another, property, the subject of larceny, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $500.00, or both.

§ 2504. Taking parcel of realty

A person who by a trespass with intent to steal, takes and carries away anything of value which is parcel of the realty, or annexed thereto, and the property of another against his or her will, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $500.00, or both.

§ 2505. Unauthorized use of boats or aircraft

A person who, without the consent of the owner, takes, uses, operates or removes, or causes to be taken, used, operated or removed from a wharf, pier, anchorage, airfield, hanger, boathouse or other building or from any place or locality on a private or public enclosure or space, a boat, other water-borne craft, or aircraft used for the transportation of persons or property upon water, or in the air, and operates, drives, uses, or causes the same to be operated, driven or used for his or her own profit, pleasure, use or purpose, shall be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than $500.00, or both. This section shall not be construed to limit or restrict prosecutions for grand larceny.

§ 2506. Disposition of property upon arrest for larceny or robbery

The officer who arrests a person charged as principal or accessory in robbery or larceny shall secure, if to be found, the property alleged to be stolen, and shall be answerable for the same, and shall annex a schedule thereof to his or her return. Upon conviction of the offender, the property shall be restored to the owner.

§ 2507. Larceny conviction in burglary or robbery prosecution

A person arraigned and tried for burglary or robbery may be convicted of larceny, if the jury finds that offense proved.

§ 2508. Conviction of attempted larceny

If, upon trial of a person for the offense of stealing from the person and custody of another, the evidence is not, in the opinion of the jury, sufficient to prove that offense, it may, upon sufficient evidence, convict such person of an attempt to commit such offense.

§ 2575. Offense of retail theft

A person commits the offense of retail theft when the person, with intent of depriving a merchant wrongfully of the lawful possession of merchandise, money or credit:

(1) takes and carries away or causes to be taken and carried away or aids and abets the carrying away of, any merchandise from a retail mercantile establishment without paying the retail value of the merchandise; or

(2) alters, transfers, or removes or causes to be altered, transferred, or removed or aids and abets the alteration, transfer, or removal of any label, price tag, indicia of value, or any other markings affixed to any merchandise in a retail mercantile establishment and purchases the merchandise for less than its retail value; or

(3) transfers or causes to be transferred or aids and abets in the transfer of any merchandise in a retail mercantile establishment from one container or location to another container or location and purchases the merchandise for less than its retail value; or

(4) alters, transfers, counterfeits, or reproduces a retail sales receipt or a Universal Product Code (UPC) label or possesses an altered, counterfeit, or reproduced retail sales receipt or UPC label; or

(5) possesses 15 or more altered, counterfeit, or reproduced retail sales receipts or UPC labels or possesses a device that is designed to alter, counterfeit, or reproduce retail sales receipts or UPC labels; or

(6) manufactures, sells, offers for sale, distributes, or knowingly possesses a laminated or coated bag intended to shield merchandise from detection by an electronic or magnetic theft detector; or

(7) manufactures, sells, offers for sale, distributes, or knowingly possesses any tool or device designed to allow or capable of allowing the deactivation or removal from any merchandise of any theft detection device without the permission of the merchant or the person owning or lawfully holding the merchandise.

§ 2576. Detention

(a) Any merchant who has reasonable cause to believe that a person has committed or attempted to commit retail theft may detain the person on or in the immediate vicinity of the premises of a retail mercantile establishment, affording the person the opportunity to be detained in a place out of public view if available, in a reasonable manner which may include the use of reasonable force and for a reasonable length of time for any of the following purposes:

(1) To request and verify identification;

(2) To make reasonable inquiry as to whether the person has in his or her possession unpurchased merchandise and, if unpurchased, to recover the merchandise;

(3) To inform a law enforcement officer of the detention of the person and surrender that person to the custody of a law enforcement officer; and

(4) In the case of a minor, to inform a law enforcement officer, and, if known or determined, the parent or parents, guardian or other person having supervision of the minor of his or her detention and to surrender custody of the minor to the law enforcement officer, parent, guardian or other person.

(b) Any person detained under subdivision (a)(3) or (4) of this section shall, if a telephone is available, have the right to make one local telephone call of reasonable duration. The merchant shall advise the person detained of this right.

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