Can I be charged with theft by deceptionif my rent-to-own television is stolen from my home?
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Can I be charged with theft by deceptionif my rent-to-own television is stolen from my home?
Asked on September 26, 2011 under Bankruptcy Law, Indiana
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you were not involved in the theft, then you should not face criminal liability for it. But if you were involved or complicit in some way--you arranged with someone to steal it (and would split the proceeds, for example); you accepted money from someone in exchange for letting them steal it; you actually hid it, but are claiming it was stolen--then you would face criminal liability. So the issue is two fold: 1) were you actually involved in the theft in some way; and 2) does the store, the insurer, and/or the authorities believe you were involved? If it appears that you were involved, then charges would very likely be brought against you; then if you are charged and tried, the prosecution will have its chance to prove that you were involved and you will have your chance to defend yourself. So yes, you could be charged if your rent-to-own TV is stolen from you home, if it appears to others that you may have been involved.
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