What is the 487 penal code?
Asked by: Rosalind Anderson MD | Last update: May 30, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (1 votes)
California Penal Code 487 (PC 487) defines Grand Theft, which is stealing property or services exceeding $950 in value, or specifically taking items like an automobile, firearm, or certain farm products, or taking property directly from a person's body, or by using fraud to convert property, making it a more serious offense than petty theft. The severity of the charge (misdemeanor or felony) often depends on the value and circumstances, but firearm theft is always a felony.
What is the penal code 487?
Grand theft under California Penal Code Section 487 PC covers theft offenses that would not qualify as petty theft, namely grand theft charges apply when: The theft involves a loss in excess of $950. The item stolen is a car or a gun. OR the item stolen was physically and directly taken off of a person.
How many years in jail do you get for GTA?
For Grand Theft Auto (GTA) in real life, penalties vary from up to one year in county jail for a misdemeanor to 16 months to three years in state prison for a felony, often with fines and enhancements for high-value cars; however, the game Grand Theft Auto is fictional, and players are never actually jailed, just sent to the in-game hospital or police station.
What dollar amount is considered grand theft in California?
Grand theft is theft committed in any of the following cases: (a) When the money, labor, real property, or personal property taken is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950), except as provided in subdivision (b).
How serious is a battery charge in California?
A battery charge in California can range from a serious misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the circumstances, with penalties for simple battery including jail time (up to 6 months), fines ($2,000), probation, and mandatory anger management, while battery causing serious injury (a "wobbler") can lead to state prison (1-4 years) and felony gun prohibitions. The severity escalates if the victim is a protected professional (peace officer, EMT, etc.), or if the battery involves domestic violence or results in severe injury, carrying potential state prison time and lifelong gun bans.
Grand Theft in California Explained - Penal Code 487 PC
Is battery worse than assault?
In legal terms, battery is generally considered worse than simple assault because it involves actual harmful or offensive physical contact, while assault is often just the threat or fear of imminent contact, but severity depends on the jurisdiction and circumstances, with aggravated forms of either being serious felonies involving weapons or serious injury. Many states combine them under one charge, making the key factor the degree of harm, not separate assault vs. battery labels.
What evidence is needed for a battery?
To prove battery, you generally need to show the defendant intentionally made harmful or offensive contact with the plaintiff's person, without consent, and that the contact caused harm or offense. Key elements include the defendant's intent, a voluntary act, resulting in harmful/offensive contact, to the victim's person, and that the contact was non-consensual.
Why are shoplifters not being prosecuted?
Cost-benefit analysis: Retailers often weigh the costs associated with prosecuting shoplifters against the value of the stolen goods. Legal fees, employee time spent in court, and potential negative publicity are factors that may outweigh the value of the stolen merchandise.
What is the difference between Penal Code 484 and 488?
In California law, PC 484 defines theft generally, while PC 488 defines Petty Theft as theft of property valued at $950 or less, meaning PC 488 specifies the lesser degree of theft covered under the broader umbrella of PC 484, which outlines various methods of stealing (like larceny, embezzlement, false pretense) and also addresses grand theft when the value exceeds $950 (PC 487). So, PC 484 sets the stage for all theft, and PC 488 classifies the common, lower-value theft, often prosecuted together as PC 484/488.
Is over $500 a felony?
Theft can escalate from a misdemeanor to a felony based on the value of the stolen property. This distinction carries significant legal implications and penalties. Each state sets its own threshold for what constitutes felony theft. These thresholds can range from $500 to $2,500, depending on local laws.
What's worse, felony 1 or felony 3?
A first-degree felony is significantly worse than a third-degree felony, carrying much harsher penalties like longer prison sentences (often decades or life) and larger fines, whereas third-degree felonies are less severe, with shorter potential prison terms (typically up to 5 years) and smaller fines, though both are serious offenses. The ranking goes from most severe (First Degree) down to less severe (Third Degree) for general felonies, but with murder, it's reversed, with third-degree murder being less severe than first-degree murder (premeditated) but still a first-degree felony in some states like Pennsylvania.
Is $5000 considered money laundering?
No, a single $5,000 transaction isn't inherently money laundering, but it can trigger reporting, and multiple transactions under $10,000 (known as "structuring") to hide funds are illegal, as is conducting any transaction with intent to further a crime or knowing funds are from illegal sources, with thresholds often around $5,000-$10,000 for federal reporting and state offenses. The key isn't just the amount, but the intent and whether it's part of a larger scheme to disguise criminal proceeds.
How do I claim my free $1,000,000 on GTA Online?
To claim $1 million in GTA Online, you usually need to participate in active Rockstar promotions, often by logging in during specific periods, linking your accounts (Rockstar Social Club/Discord), or completing certain missions or challenges, with bonuses typically arriving in your Maze Bank account within 72 hours, so check Rockstar's announcements for current offers like free login bonuses or GTA+ perks.
What's the worst felony to get?
The "worst" felony is typically a Capital Felony, often defined as premeditated murder, treason, or espionage, carrying penalties of life imprisonment or the death penalty, though federal systems classify the most severe as Class A felonies, which also include murder, terrorism, and large-scale drug trafficking, punishable by life in prison or the death penalty. Specifics vary by state, but generally, the most serious crimes (like first-degree murder, aggravated sexual assault, arson causing death) fall into the highest categories (Class A, First Degree, Capital).
Is GTA based on a true story?
The narrative is based on multiple real-life events in Los Angeles, including the Bloods and Crips street gang rivalry, the 1990s crack epidemic, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and the Rampart scandal.
How much money stolen is a felony in California?
Felony theft in California involves stealing property worth over $950 or certain items like firearms or vehicles, regardless of value. A conviction can result in up to three years in jail or prison, fines, restitution, and a permanent criminal record.
What does penal code 487 mean?
California Penal Code [CPC] §§487(a) – (d) – Grand Theft – Grand Theft occurs when anyone steals property or services worth more than $950. You can also violate Section 487 by stealing an automobile, a firearm, or fish (if stolen from a commercial fishery or a research operation).
What are the three different types of shoplifters?
Shoplifters generally fall into categories like Amateur/Opportunistic (steals on impulse), Habitual/Compulsive (steals due to psychological needs, addiction, or thrill), and Professional/Organized (steals as a career for profit). While there are nuances, these three buckets cover the impulsive, psychologically driven, and criminal enterprise aspects of shoplifting, with amateurs making up the largest number but professionals causing disproportionate losses, according to Loss Prevention Magazine.
What is the lowest form of theft?
The lowest level of theft is typically called petty theft or petit larceny, involving non-violent taking of low-value property (often under $1,000, depending on the state) and usually classified as a misdemeanor, carrying penalties like fines and short jail time, though even stealing something under $10 can fall into this category. The exact dollar threshold varies significantly by jurisdiction, with some states having very low felony thresholds, like New Jersey's $200.
Why can't store security stop shoplifters?
The Shopkeeper Privilege (or Merchant Statutes) also allows a security guard to use reasonable force to detain or place the suspected shoplifter under citizen's arrest or in defense of themselves or others. Some states also dictate the amount of force a retail security guard can use.
What is the new law on shoplifting in the UK?
Tackling low-level shop theft
The bill will remove the perceived immunity granted to shop theft of goods to the value of £200 or less, by repealing Section 22A of the Magistrates' Court Act 1980 and the legislation that inserted it (section 176 of Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014).
What is the most common punishment for shoplifting?
The most common sentence for a first-time, low-value shoplifting offense is often probation, community service, fines, and restitution, with jail time typically reserved for repeat offenders or higher-value thefts, though penalties vary by state and item value, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Many first-time offenders avoid jail, getting diversion programs or alternatives.
What is the 40 to 80 rule for batteries?
The 40-80 battery rule suggests keeping lithium-ion batteries within a 40% to 80% charge range to maximize long-term lifespan by reducing chemical stress, heat, and deep discharge cycles, though it can be inconvenient; modern devices have built-in management, making it less critical for typical users but beneficial for those wanting to preserve battery health for years.
What crimes fall under battery?
Battery. (a) Battery is: (1) Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm to another person; or. (2) knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, insulting, or angry manner.
What evidence is needed to charge someone?
Police need probable cause to charge someone, meaning enough objective facts and circumstances for a reasonable person to believe a crime was committed by that suspect, which can come from direct evidence (witnesses, video, confessions, forensics like DNA/fingerprints) or strong circumstantial evidence (phone records, financial trails, behavior), even without physical proof, relying on credible statements and observations.