Grand Theft

Grand Theft (STL) - Level III

Definition:

The unauthorized taking of the property of another person or organization, including motor vehicles, valued at $750 or more, without threat, violence, or bodily harm. Incidents that fall below the $750 threshold are not reportable in SESIR, but instead should be reported as locally-defined incidents according to district policies. Thefts of property of any value that involve a use of force, violence, assault, or putting the victim in fear must be reported as Robbery.

Examples

• Student or other embezzling public funds.
• Student or other stealing an item/items worth $750 or more.
• Student finding a checkbook, signing owner's name, and making a purchase.
• Student or other stealing a car or motorcycle.

Non-Examples

• Student or other borrowing an item without permission.
• Student or other committing robbery (code as Robbery instead)
• Student or other stealing an item/items less than $750.
• Student steals a credit card but no charges are made to the card.

Additional Guidelines

Note: The item(s) must total $750 or more in value to report in SESIR. However, it is important for schools to document thefts totaling less than $750 as locally-defined incidents.

FAQ

How is the value of the item(s) determined?

• Section 812.012(10), Florida Statutes, defines value:
  • "Value” means value determined according to any of the following:
    • Value means the market value of the property at the time and place of the offense or, if such cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, the cost of replacement of the property within a reasonable time after the offense.
    • The value of a written instrument that does not have a readily ascertainable market value, in the case of an instrument such as a check, draft, or promissory note, is the amount due or collectible or is, in the case of any other instrument which creates, releases, discharges, or otherwise affects any valuable legal right, privilege, or obligation, the greatest amount of economic loss that the owner of the instrument might reasonably suffer by virtue of the loss of the instrument.
    • The value of a trade secret that does not have a readily ascertainable market value is any reasonable value representing the damage to the owner, suffered by reason of losing an advantage over those who do not know of or use the trade secret.
  • If the value of property cannot be ascertained, the trier of fact may find the value to be not less than a certain amount; if no such minimum value can be ascertained, the value is an amount less than $100.
  • Amounts of value of separate properties involved in thefts committed pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, whether the thefts are from the same person or from several persons, may be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense.

Why is it important to have local codes for theft that do not meet the SESIR Larceny/Theft threshold/definition?

• If the district does not have local codes for lower-level incidents that do not meet the SESIR threshold for theft, such incidents will be coded as SESIR incidents and the district will be over-reporting in these areas.

Statutes

• 812.014 Theft*
• 812.061 Larceny

Contact

Office of Safe Schools
325 West Gaines Street, Room 1302
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
Phone: 850-245-5173