US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

570.020. For the purposes of this chapter, the value of property shall be ascertained as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise specified in this section, "value" means the market value of the property at the time and place of the crime, or if such cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, the cost of replacement of the property within a reasonable time after the crime. If the victim is a merchant, as defined in section 400.2-104, RSMo, and the property is a type that the merchant sells in the ordinary course of business, then the property shall be valued at the price that such merchant would normally sell such property;

(2) Whether or not they have been issued or delivered, certain written instruments, not including those having a readily ascertainable market value such as some public and corporate bonds and securities, shall be evaluated as follows:

(a) The value of an instrument constituting evidence of debt, such as a check, draft or promissory note, shall be deemed the amount due or collectible thereon or thereby, such figure ordinarily being the face amount of the indebtedness less any portion thereof which has been satisfied;

(b) The value of any other instrument which creates, releases, discharges or otherwise affects any valuable legal right, privilege or obligation shall be deemed the greatest amount of economic loss which the owner of the instrument might reasonably suffer by virtue of the loss of the instrument;

(3) When the value of property cannot be satisfactorily ascertained pursuant to the standards set forth in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section, its value shall be deemed to be an amount less than five hundred dollars.

(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1888 merged with H.B. 2120)