2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 4 - Offenses Against Property
Part 4 - Theft
§ 18-4-409. Aggravated motor vehicle theft

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Motor vehicle" means all vehicles of whatever description propelled by any power other than muscular, except vehicles running on rails.

(b) "Vehicle identification number" means the serial number placed upon the motor vehicle by the manufacturer thereof or assigned to the motor vehicle by the department of revenue.

(2) A person commits aggravated motor vehicle theft in the first degree if he or she knowingly obtains or exercises control over the motor vehicle of another without authorization or by threat or deception and:

(a) Retains possession or control of the motor vehicle for more than twenty-four hours; or

(b) Attempts to alter or disguise or alters or disguises the appearance of the motor vehicle; or

(c) Attempts to alter or remove or alters or removes the vehicle identification number; or

(d) Uses the motor vehicle in the commission of a crime other than a traffic offense; or

(e) Causes five hundred dollars or more property damage, including but not limited to property damage to the motor vehicle involved, in the course of obtaining control over or in the exercise of control of the motor vehicle; or

(f) Causes bodily injury to another person while he or she is in the exercise of control of the motor vehicle; or

(g) Removes the motor vehicle from this state for a period of time in excess of twelve hours; or

(h) Unlawfully attaches or otherwise displays in or upon the motor vehicle license plates other than those officially issued for the motor vehicle.

(3) Aggravated motor vehicle theft in the first degree is a:

(a) Class 5 felony if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is less than twenty thousand dollars;

(a.5) Class 4 felony if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is twenty thousand dollars or more but less than one hundred thousand dollars;

(b) Class 3 felony if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is more than one hundred thousand dollars or if the defendant has twice previously been convicted or adjudicated of charges separately brought and tried either in this state or elsewhere of an offense involving theft of a motor vehicle under the laws of this state, any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

(4) A person commits aggravated motor vehicle theft in the second degree if he or she knowingly obtains or exercises control over the motor vehicle of another without authorization or by threat or deception and if none of the aggravating factors in subsection (2) of this section are present. Aggravated motor vehicle theft in the second degree is a:

(a) Class 5 felony if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is twenty thousand dollars or more;

(b) Class 6 felony if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is one thousand dollars or more but less than twenty thousand dollars;

(c) Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of the motor vehicle or motor vehicles involved is less than one thousand dollars.

(4.5) Whenever a person is convicted of, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, receives a deferred judgment or sentence for, or is adjudicated a juvenile delinquent for, a violation of this section, the offender's driver's license shall be revoked as provided in section 42-2-125, C.R.S.

(5) Consistent with section 18-1-202, if the theft of a motor vehicle occurs in one jurisdiction and the motor vehicle is recovered in another jurisdiction, the offender may be tried in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred, in any jurisdiction through which the motor vehicle was operated or transported, or in the jurisdiction in which the motor vehicle was recovered.