Home › Theft & dishonesty › Motor vehicle theft
The whole idea in one picture
You don't have to plan to keep a car to be charged. Taking or using one without the owner's say-so is an offence on its own — and it's treated seriously.
It's broader than driving off in a stranger's car. The main forms:
Cars leave a lot of evidence — and a lot of ways to be linked to one:
Where it's heard depends on the value, the damage, and whether it was organised:
Penalties where you are
For taking and driving a vehicle without consent. Aggravated — armed or in company — rises to 10 years.
These cases often turn on consent, intent, or whether you were even involved:
You didn't mean to steal or keep the vehicle.
You genuinely thought the owner had said yes.
You were a passenger, or didn't know it was stolen.
Mistaken identity as the driver or an accomplice.
Consent, intent and whether you were really involved are all arguable — and extra driving charges can add up fast. We can point you to lawyers in your state.
Read this first
This page explains how these charges generally work — it can't tell you what will happen in your case. Penalties shown are the legal maximums, aimed at the most serious cases, and the names of the offences differ by state. If you're charged, talk to a criminal lawyer before answering questions.
