Glossary
Larceny-theft
As the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation defines it, in the words of its Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions.
Official definition
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines larceny-theft as the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Examples are thefts of bicycles, thefts of motor vehicle parts and accessories, shoplifting, pocket-picking, or the stealing of any property or article that is not taken by force, violence, or fraud. Attempted larcenies are included in offense totals. Embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, check fraud, etc., are excluded.
On this site
Agencies serving 96.4% of the population reported 3,819,687 larceny-theft offenses to the FBI in 2025. See the figures →
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Sources
- Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions — U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation · retrieved September 27, 2026
Compiled automatically from Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions by a checked SQL query · Editor: Kian O'Connor · How this site is built
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