St. Louis Municipal Laws for Stealing and Larceny

There are many different ordinances enforcing stealing and petty larceny crimes throughout the St. Louis area due to the various municipalities in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. For instance, the Richmond Heights municipal code criminalizes “Stealing Prohibited” as follows:

“No person shall take, obtain, use, transfer, conceal or retain possession of property or services of another with the purpose to deprive him/her thereof, either without his/her consent or by means of deceit or coercion.

This would be used if a defendant were accused of stealing at the St. Louis Galleria. If someone were to be accused of stealing in Plaza Frontenac the ordinance used would be the same. However, the Frontenac ordinance goes on to list out different forms of evidence which may be used to prove the requisite knowledge of the alleged perpetrator. While there is a municipal code for every city, most of the codes are nearly identical when it comes to the criminal portion. Additionally, if the alleged amount of goods or services stolen exceeds $500, it can be charged as a felony and will be prosecuted in circuit court. Here are some of the other popular malls in the area and their respective municipality:

West County Mall – City of Des Peres
South County Mall – St. Louis County – South Division
The Loop Shops – University City
Chesterfield Mall – City of Chesterfield
Maryland Plaza – City of St. Louis

Most municipalities offer their code on their website, if they have one. If you have been accused of stealing or larceny it is vital that you have an experienced criminal defense attorney representing your interest. Contact a lawyer today at Henderson & Waterkotte, P.C. to discuss how we can be of assistance to you. We are available 24/7 and offer a free consultation.