2006 Code of Virginia § 18.2-103 - Concealing or taking possession of merchandise; altering price tags; transferring goods from one co...

18.2-103. Concealing or taking possession of merchandise; altering pricetags; transferring goods from one container to another; counseling, etc.,another in performance of such acts.

Whoever, without authority, with the intention of converting goods ormerchandise to his own or another's use without having paid the full purchaseprice thereof, or of defrauding the owner of the value of the goods ormerchandise, (i) willfully conceals or takes possession of the goods ormerchandise of any store or other mercantile establishment, or (ii) altersthe price tag or other price marking on such goods or merchandise, ortransfers the goods from one container to another, or (iii) counsels,assists, aids or abets another in the performance of any of the above acts,when the value of the goods or merchandise involved in the offense is lessthan $200, shall be guilty of petit larceny and, when the value of the goodsor merchandise involved in the offense is $200 or more, shall be guilty ofgrand larceny. The willful concealment of goods or merchandise of any storeor other mercantile establishment, while still on the premises thereof, shallbe prima facie evidence of an intent to convert and defraud the owner thereofout of the value of the goods or merchandise.

(Code 1950, 18.1-126; 1960, c. 358; 1970, c. 652; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1994,c. 706.)