At what amount does criminal liability for petty theft begin in 2022: when is a case opened under Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

You can become a victim of theft anywhere and under any circumstances. Thieves can encroach on any thing, but they are primarily attracted to money. The choice of criminals in favor of money is based on the desire to quickly get rich with the least effort. If an item is stolen, it must be sold, because... it is direct evidence of guilt. With money, everything is simpler: they are impersonal and it is almost impossible to prove their ownership to the victim.

Theft is prosecuted both administratively and criminally. Theft is exclusively criminal, because It is in this wording that it is mentioned in Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. A similar act is contained in Art. 7.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, however, is referred to by the general term “petty theft.”

It should be remembered that theft refers to exclusively secret actions: neither the victim nor witnesses should suspect that it has been committed. Art. 7.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation unites all types of theft, regardless of the form and circumstances of its commission. The only criterion is a small amount of damage.

In this material we will analyze in detail where the line between an offense and a crime lies, and also determine what liability is provided for in each individual case.

General rules of prosecution

The economic situation in Russia greatly affects the lives of ordinary people.
The crisis forces ordinary citizens to steal things and money necessary for life. They forget that this has serious consequences. At what amount is theft considered a criminal offense? The state has established the framework by which people are held accountable for this crime.

Article 168 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation describes in detail the amount of money that may result in criminal liability. This law should be carefully studied. It spells out the rules by which people are held accountable, and also contains a list of punishments.

What is the amount of criminal liability for theft? Criminal cases of theft are opened when material damage of 2,500 rubles has been caused. To receive an administrative penalty, theft in the amount of only one thousand is sufficient.

The theft minimum applies not only to the theft of money or personal items, but also to other fraudulent activities. For example, bribes, loan debts, tax scams.

The qualification of the act and the punishment for it depend on the amount that was stolen. The amount of damage caused also has a big impact. The penalties for petty theft and grand theft are completely different. Article 7.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation describes the amount of criminal liability that is awarded.

The amount of damage for initiating a criminal case is not always decisive. A case may be initiated under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation depending on the causes and circumstances of causing monetary damage. The amount stolen under some circumstances will not play a major role. Therefore, it is not always correct to ask at what amount does criminal liability for theft begin?

Theft of money of 5,000 rubles or more is considered a significant loss. Grand theft is characterized if the property limit is two hundred and fifty thousand rubles. If more than one million is stolen, the punishment will be more severe. The crime will be especially serious.

For the theft of two thousand rubles, a criminal case may not be initiated. But provided that the person committed the act for the first time, and if there are no aggravating circumstances. In case of theft of one and a half thousand rubles, a case can be opened if there is evidence of guilt, if the malicious intent of the criminal is proven.

It is also possible to terminate a criminal case if the victim and the criminal agree on the amount of compensation and the case of theft is primary and not a relapse.

Specialist lawyers can advise a citizen regarding his case, including the amount at which the criminal saga begins for his particular case. To do this, the lawyer needs to study all available information on the case. There are cases when a case is brought against innocent people.

Due to changes in the law, the person who committed theft on an especially large scale may also be acquitted. Such a person may not receive criminal punishment.

Still, it will not be possible to commit crimes freely, even taking into account amendments to the law and any mitigating circumstances. You can be released from criminal liability if the offender returns all material assets to the person from whom they were borrowed. It is very important to do this before trial and before the case opens. If the thief can come to an agreement with the owner of the money and agrees to such conditions, then litigation can be avoided.

The punishment is also mitigated if changes in the law affect mitigating circumstances. In this case, it does not matter whether there was a trial. The punishment can be changed even after the proceedings, if the law, after the amendments are made, is on the side of the accused. To have the punishment commuted, the offender submits an application to the court. The outcome of the case depends entirely on the judge, the accused and the victim.

Features of initiating a criminal case

Malicious evasion of debt payments is being investigated by police investigators.

As a rule, information about a crime comes to the police from the creditor company. But it happens that the judge who made the decision to collect the debt, or the bailiff who is tasked with executing this decision, signals the authorities.

To initiate a case, the investigator must study the court decision on debt collection. Then he will find out what enforcement measures the bailiff took.

The investigator will definitely talk with employees of the debtor company. He needs to establish whether the company had a real opportunity to pay the debt. If the debtor does not have money, the case will be refused.

Special rules for assigning responsibility

Secret theft, as a type of criminal act, is divided into many categories. For example, for violations of the law such as robbery or fraud. For the first act, the minimum amount is five thousand rubles, but with fraud the situation is completely different. Under this crime, the servants of the law see something completely different. They understand these actions as using trust or manipulation in order to obtain material resources. It doesn’t matter what psychological method the scammer used to get rich, this is considered the theft of other people’s money and property.

To open a fraud case, the criminal must steal ten thousand rubles. Fraud differs from theft not only in the process, but also in the type of punishment. For this act, the offender receives a more severe punishment according to the Criminal Code.

Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation sets the framework for punishment. According to this document, police officers have the right to prosecute in the following cases:

If 10,000 rubles are stolen. Considered a minimum.
Three million rubles. Major damage.
Twelve million rubles is a particularly large amount.

The punishment for each case will be slightly different. It is influenced by the circumstances in which the crime was committed. Material recovery for one amount obtained through fraudulent activities and scams with loans, in the insurance industry and with the help of modern technologies are different. If we are talking about economic acts, then the law provides for an individual form that indicates the minimum amount of the stolen amount. If the illegal act has all the signs of fraudulent activity, but the stolen amount is 1,000 rubles, then the charges are brought under administrative penalties.

Qualification of the crime

The object of petty theft is material objects, and the attacker encroaches on the right of ownership guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The subject of the crime is a person who has reached the age of 16. Theft, including petty theft, is always committed with direct intent for the main reasons: hooliganism, selfish motives. The offense is considered completed from the moment the owner loses the right to dispose of his property and the transfer of this right to the guilty person.

Note!
In case of petty theft committed by a child under 16 years of age, an administrative protocol is not drawn up, but the owner of the outlet has the right to recover damages from his parents by filing a claim in court.

Minimum amount of theft for criminal liability

The minimum charge for shoplifting is 2,500 or more. Smaller amounts are resolved under the Code of Administrative Offenses if certain conditions are observed during the commission of a crime. In this case, there should be no aggravating circumstances for the perpetrator. If they exist, then the case is considered criminal. It doesn't matter how much was stolen.

For one person who committed theft, there are types of punishment (under Part 1 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation):

a fine of up to eighty thousand rubles or collection of wages for up to six months;
compulsory work for a period of up to three hundred and sixty hours;
attendance at executive work for up to a year;
restriction of freedom up to 2 years;
forced labor for two years;
administrative arrest for up to 4 months;
prison for two years.

Further in this article you can read about the various classifications of theft. You can also find out how robbery and robbery differ from each other.

Also read: How not to get imprisoned under Article 325 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: features of law enforcement practice in cases of document theft

Theft less than 1000

Ordinary theft or petty theft are those acts as a result of which the accused stole property that costs less than one thousand rubles and if the circumstances from Parts 1-4 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Such acts are decided by Part 1 of Art. 7.27 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. According to it, the perpetrator is awarded the following liability:

a fine from one thousand to five times the value of the stolen property;
arrest for two weeks and one day;
work for fifty hours.

From 1,000 to 2,500

If the amount of the stolen goods is equal to the equivalent of one to two and a half thousand rubles and in the absence of crime factors provided for in Parts 1-4 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the case is resolved under Part 2 of Art. 7.27 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. According to this, the following are awarded:

an administrative fine from three thousand rubles to five times the value of the stolen items;
Arrest from ten to fifteen days;
Compulsory work for up to one hundred and twenty hours.

What is attempted petty theft?

As already mentioned, the Code of Administrative Offenses regulates issues related only to administrative offenses. For example, here we can talk about thefts that were not noticed by employees of a retail outlet or security guards until the attacker left the crime scene.

When the stolen goods were immediately returned to the store, we are not talking about a crime being committed, but only about attempted theft. In such a set of circumstances, the guilty party can simply apologize without unnecessary attention and return the goods. The second option is to pay for the stolen item.

The essential point here is that employees of a retail outlet cannot search a citizen. Only police officers called to the scene have the right to do this. The security guard has the right to ask the buyer to stay until the police arrives. Only authorized persons have the right to carry out inspections.

The basis for this may be a video recording made in a store, which shows that the buyer committed theft or tried to do so. Before the police arrive, security and cashiers do not have the right to demand payment, as this may be classified as extortion. Funds are deposited only on the basis of a court decision.

The amount of theft for liability is from 2,500 to 5,000 rubles

If a person is accused of theft, and the stolen goods are worth more than two and a half thousand, then such a crime can be prosecuted under criminal law. This was mentioned in the first paragraph of this article. Two and a half thousand rubles is enough for a police officer to initiate a criminal case.

From 5,000 to 250,000 rub.

The amount of damage caused from five thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand rubles is significant. If an action against the law is aggravated by such indicators, then it is automatically classified as criminal:

The act involved a group of people who created an action plan.
The theft was committed by breaking into a store, office or warehouse.
Significant damage was caused to third parties.
Money and valuables are stolen from personal clothing and accessories.

For this type of theft, the accused receives criminal liability. It is regulated by Part 2 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. May be awarded:

imprisonment for up to five years;
temporary restriction of freedom or without it for up to a year;
assignment of forced labor for up to five years and temporary restriction of freedom for up to a year;
correctional labor for up to two years;
compulsory work for a period of up to four hundred eighty hours;
a fine of up to two hundred rubles or the collection of an amount equal to the amount of wages for a period of up to eighteen months.

From 250,000 to 1,000,000

The theft will be major if material damage in the amount of two hundred fifty thousand to one million rubles is caused. Also, if the following circumstances are met:

Illegal entry into an apartment, house or office.
The theft was carried out from an oil product pipeline.
Grand theft.
Withdrawing money from someone else's card or account, or wallet.

For such a crime there are penalties regulated by Part 3 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The accused is awarded:

a fine in the amount of one hundred thousand to five hundred thousand rubles or the recovery of an amount equal to earnings for a period of one to three years;
forced labor for up to five years and temporary restriction of freedom for 1.5 years, or without it;
imprisonment for six years, payment of a fine in the amount of up to eighty thousand rubles. Or recovery of income for a period of up to six months, restriction of freedom for a period of one and a half years or without it.

More than 1,000,000

If the defendant stole more than a million, it is called grand theft. In order to comply with an illegal act, the following conditions must be met: the theft was carried out according to a plan and a company of several persons assembled in advance. If the fact of theft on a large scale was noticed, then it will be regulated by Part 4 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Criminals are given the following punishments: imprisonment for up to 12 years, a fine of one million rubles or wages for a period of five years, imprisonment for two years.

Aggravating features

If aggravating circumstances are discovered during the investigation, then criminal liability will be provided for the theft. The equivalent of the stolen property or personal items and their value are not so important in such cases.

The accused is convicted under Part 1 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Theft”, if the amount of more than two and a half thousand rubles is stolen. Theft for a smaller amount is punishable administratively. If the case does not have aggravating facts set out in Art. 2-4. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, then theft is considered petty and is condemned only administratively. These facts are considered:

the criminal act was organized and carried out by a group of persons;
breaking and entering a residential or commercial premises;
theft from clothes, bags, hand luggage;
withdrawing money from someone else's bank account;
theft from an oil product pipeline or gas pipeline;
the citizen was previously convicted under the same article.

If at least one circumstance was found by the investigator, then the act is considered criminal. The size of the stolen amount and material damage will in no way affect whether the case file is opened or not. The stolen goods can be worth one thousand rubles or several million; the amount of money does not affect the punishment in any way. According to the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court dated December 27, 2002 “On judicial practice in cases of robbery, robbery and robbery” and other legal acts, the amount of material damage in the case of theft or small theft is determined by police officers according to the following standards:

The sum of the cost of things is calculated. It will be equal to that which took place during the commission of the criminal act.
In a situation where the price of things and objects is unknown, special employees are invited. They calculate the cost and transmit the results of their work to the investigator. The amount indicated in the document will become the size of the mat. damage.
Compensation is established based on the pricing policy of the property when the decision was made to give away the stolen property. The cost is indexed.
If the stolen property has scientific, historical or artistic value, compensation is calculated on an individual basis. Appraisers must be called. They take into account the significance of the subject in history, culture, and society. The final cost is also affected by the monetary value determined by the employee.
If disputes arise between two parties regarding the issue of money, the court calls independent experts. They are able to resolve the conflict between the parties in a peaceful way.

In separate articles, professionals talk about which group the crime belongs to and what punishment is due, depending on the composition of the act. This occurs in cases where the theft of money and documents, budget funds and state property, weapons and ammunition is carried out.

How fair is the current penalty for petty theft?

Many Russians believe that the punishment provided for theft of up to 1000 rubles is not always necessary and appropriate. There were cases when people who found themselves in difficult financial circumstances stole basic necessities - bread, milk. For this reason, the current legislation may undergo a number of changes. The proposal was made by I. Yarovaya, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

According to the new rules, a fine is provided for the theft of goods worth more than 5,000 rubles. When the total cost is less, the guilty person can go for correction. work for a period of up to 50 hours. There is no provision for arrest. For group theft or pickpocketing, responsibility remains the same. The proposed option is still being considered by officials, and no final decision has been made.

Special rules for “fraud” What amount will trigger criminal liability?

For certain types of theft, the government has established individual clichés for determining the amount of damage caused. However, there are exceptional situations among them:

Part five, article 159 “Fraud”. Relates to the fact that two or more individual business owners intentionally failed to fulfill an agreement between themselves. This, in turn, resulted in significant damage to one of the parties;
Part six, article 159 “Fraud”. Intentional failure to fulfill a contract in the field of business activity, which caused shortages or material damage on a large scale;
Part seven, article 159 “Fraud” - the same act, but resulting in damage on an especially large scale;
Article 159.1 for loan scams;
Article 159.3 for de-cashment of other people's payment bank cards;
Article 159.5 for “Insurance Fraud”;
Article 159.6 for theft related to computer technology.

For these types of criminal acts, the amount of material damage and the definition of this amount differs from the generally accepted execution of the rest of Art.

According to the updated Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in 2022, the amount of significant damage starts from ten thousand rubles. Grand theft starts at three million. Particularly large size - from twelve million rubles.

The amount of damage with which a case is opened under the Criminal Code depends on who the participants are: individual businessmen or a legal entity.

This article has become a new piece of legislation. Lawyers, economists and other law enforcement officials have not yet accepted it and are quite skeptical about it.

Changes to the Criminal Code for legal entities and entrepreneurs.

The amount of damage is determined by individual articles in certain ways:

Article 169 “Obstruction of legal business or other activities. It mentions “major damage.” In 2016, these words mean an amount of more than one and a half million rubles.
Part three and part four of Article 171.1 “large size” – this is from four hundred thousand rubles, “especially large” – from one and a half million rubles
Parts five and six of Article 171.1 “large size” is one hundred thousand, “especially large” is one million.
In Article 171.2, “large size” is understood as an amount of more than one and a half million, and “especially large” material damage is more than six million rubles.
Article 178 provides for liability for restricting competition. The legislation did not make any changes to this document. “Income on a large scale” is more than fifty million rubles, and “income on an especially large scale” is more than two hundred and fifty million. “Major damage” – an amount of more than 10 million rubles, “especially large” – thirty million.
Article 180 explains “large damage” as an amount of 250,000 rubles.
In Article 184 “significant amount” – from 25 thousand.
For articles 185, 185.1, 185.2 and 185.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, it is stipulated that “major damage” is an amount of one million rubles. “Damage on an especially large scale” – 3,750,000 rubles.
Article 185.3 for market manipulation suggests that “major damage” is more than three million seven hundred and fifty thousand rubles. “Especially large” – over fifteen million.
Article 185.6 provides penalties for the use of information. “Major damage” under this article amounts to three million seven hundred and fifty thousand. The same amount is used to determine other concepts that explain the amount of material damage.
In the note to article 191.1, illegal actions with wood are punished. “Large size” – more than eighty thousand rubles. “Particularly large” – two hundred thirty thousand.
Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation punishes foreign exchange transactions. In it, “large size” starts from 9,000,000 per year, and “extra large” - from forty-five million.
In Article 194, for non-payment of payments “large amount” is considered an amount of two million, “especially large” - from six million.

This information is aimed at ensuring that every citizen understands one idea: theft and manipulation of other people's cards, loans, etc. It's not worth it. You will pay the state more than you deserve for your actions. A few thousand or hundreds of thousands are not worth your freedom. It’s better to earn an honest living and not expose yourself and your family to undue risk.

There are not very many individual cases regarding crimes against property and person. But Chapter 22 is about atrocities against the economy. And there are exceptions in every article. This number of exceptions depends on the complexity and danger of the crimes. A large number of unusual circumstances also have an impact. For example, implementation in business and economic spheres of activity.

Laws 323-FZ and 326-FZ, issued in the summer of 2022, have had an impact on the extent of damages in criminal law. The amounts have changed. This innovation applies not only to those who committed crimes and fraudulent acts in the fall and winter of 2016 and later, but also to those who are convicted and are in prison for crimes already committed against the public.

What should defendants do in connection with changes in damages in criminal law?

Article ten of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation states that a law that mitigates liability has retroactive force. Convicts can apply for a mitigation of their sentence, or be released from it altogether. The convicted person or his lawyer sends the application to the court at the place of detention in the form of a handwritten letter. That is, to the court closest to the pre-trial detention center, correctional colony, etc.

What to do if the damage is compensated before a criminal case is initiated

In 2022, the amount sufficient to open a criminal case has not changed. But the provisions for those who compensate for stolen goods were introduced before the initiation of a case. To understand the specifics of these provisions, you need to familiarize yourself with Article 76.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of July 3, 2016, “Exemption from criminal liability in cases of crimes in the field of economic activity.”

She is considering removing the penalty for tax malfeasance. That is, for example, if a person evaded paying taxes. But exemption is available only if the culprit pays tax to the economic system of the Russian Federation. part two art. 76.1 contains grounds for excluding the violator from conditional liability. This only works if the citizen compensates for the material deficiency before initiating a criminal case.

This is also influenced by the factors and circumstances in which the crime was committed. If one of the conditions is observed, the citizen is released from liability:

If this citizen has his first criminal act on his record;
The person has committed an atrocity that is related to the list in Part 2 of Article 76.1;
The culprit compensated absolutely all the damage that he caused to anyone through his illegal actions;
The accused paid an amount equal to 2 times the amount of damage caused. Until 2016, the accused returned the amount five times, this condition has been eased.

If all these conditions are met, and the actions did not involve a crime for which criminal liability is punishable, the person is exempt from punishment under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This means that he will not need to apply to government organizations, he will not have a criminal record and other unpleasant social, legal and criminal consequences.

If a person commits a crime for the first time, the state has the right to forgive him and relieve him of responsibility.

Example: A man stole 50,000 rubles from a friend’s card. This is his first theft, he has not been prosecuted before. They open a case. The crime is classified under Article 158, Part 2. p.g of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The accused returned the money to the victim twice as much. The victim, through his legal representative, asked to drop the case. They gave me a suspended sentence.

Internet theft

More and more different criminal schemes are being developed by scammers on the Internet. Those who think that they will profit from the trust of other citizens are also mistaken.

To determine the degree of guilt, the court takes into account all the details and additional information - goals, methods of fraud and motives. However, only a proven stolen amount of at least 5,000 rubles. is considered a reason to open a criminal case.

However, do not forget that if fraudsters regularly engage in theft, but commit thefts for a smaller amount of 5 thousand rubles, then this is taken into account, and you can also be subject to criminal charges, rather than paying just a small administrative fine.

General rules for calculating damage caused

The concept of “damage” refers to the property and moral consequences that occurred due to the illegal actions of the accused. Damage is classified into two subgroups: material and moral.

Material is realized as a lack of real estate in the property or loss of funds from the victim. It is also expressed in underpayment to the victim by the person who committed the theft.

Moral damage is understood as damage from the criminal and harm of a non-property nature. The degree of such harm can be determined based on the results of an examination of the victim by a psychologist and the physical injuries of the person. Humiliation of another person or insult of another nature can also be considered moral.

Each form is determined by individual rules. They apply in each case.

Also read: Petty theft, theft - is it possible to get a real sentence?

Experts determine material damage based on the following criteria:

When assessing real estate, the market property of a building, apartment, office, etc. is taken. at the time of the commission of illegal actions;
in the absence of information about the cost of housing or non-residential premises, the investigator calls an independent appraiser. The results of his work will be presented during the consideration of the case as valid;
determine damages based on claims and payments. This is implemented on an individual basis;
if a citizen stole foreign currency, then the amount of damage is assessed according to the exchange rate of the Central Bank at the time when the illegal act was committed;
when historical or cultural values are stolen. In such cases, appraisers are called. The significance of this subject in relation to culture, history and society must be taken into account;
If a dispute arises between two parties about the amount of damage, the court invites independent experts. They are required to determine the amount of damage.

When returning material damage, it is calculated taking into account the indexation of the value of the property on the day of execution of the contract.

Moral damage is assessed as follows:

if the victim has physical and moral problems that were received as a result of injuries;
if the other party is found to be incapacitated;
if the honor and dignity of the victim are humiliated;
if the victim experiences stress and depression due to the loss of personal belongings and items.

Harm is caused to individuals and legal entities. The calculation of harm in the first and second cases will be different. These are completely different categories. In the case of an individual, the harm is caused to one person. If harm is caused to legal entities, it can also be caused to the company.

Individuals

When investigating the causes of harm to individual citizens, material losses resulting from the actions of the attacker are also taken into account. There are also injuries that the person received during the commission of the crime by the accused.

Damage to an individual is assessed in monetary terms. The cost of treatment of all injuries received, the degree of damage, loss of organs or body parts are taken into account. The period of disability is also taken into account. This situation can lead to the fact that an individual will not be able to properly provide for his family and loved ones. The criminal is obliged to pay funds for the duration of his victim's unemployment.

Moral damage is assessed in some cases. This is a special category. The individual does not always seek compensation of a moral nature. To obtain this, it is necessary to establish an investigative connection between the moral damage received and the illegal action. The damage caused by the criminal also includes physical injuries. For example, after committing an attack with the aim of stealing personal property by a criminal, pensioners complain of deteriorating health and the appearance of problems with well-being. In most cases, the court does not listen to their arguments and attributes all health problems to age.

To prevent such a situation from happening, it is recommended to undergo a medical examination immediately after the attack. Then the victim will have documents in his hands that confirm that health and well-being problems arose as a result of the illegal actions of the criminal.

Legal entities

In this case, much depends on the circumstances of the damage. If the situation is related to losses that were incurred as a result of non-fulfillment of employment contracts, then it is possible to recover lost funds.

If financial problems arise due to other reasons, the parties can agree that the damage will be compensated.

In this case, material damage consists of the loss of some property or money and lost profits resulting from illegal actions.

When assessing damage, it is worth remembering that the company is always to blame and it is the company that bears responsibility for causing damage.

The most important role is played by establishing the connection between losses and crime. The losses could have arisen even before the crime was committed. The court takes this point into account.

To prove that material damage was caused as a result of illegal actions, it is required to present to the court documents for equipment, real estate, and so on. Acts, invoices, and contracts act as documents. Do not forget that it is necessary to present expert opinions.

What to do if you were robbed

So, you have discovered that your property or money is missing. The algorithm of your actions is as follows:

Don't panic (as much as possible), calm down.
Look around and make sure other property is in place. When a theft is detected from a home, the victim may notice the absence of particularly valuable things (for example, gold), but in the bustle he may not notice the loss of other items. Look carefully at your usual surroundings, list the main things in your mind, make sure they are in place.
If possible, do not touch anything until the police arrive.
Call the police.
Be prepared to name the price of the missing items, prepare receipts or other documents confirming the purchase.
If criminals have withdrawn money from your bank card, block it immediately.
Try to analyze who might be involved in the theft. Perhaps this is a suspicious person who was next to you on the subway (if your wallet was stolen from your pocket) or someone who called from an advertisement about the sale of your car, asking in detail how much you sold it for and what city you live in (if the money disappeared from apartments), etc.
Write a statement to the police. You can give it to the arriving investigative team or take it yourself to the police department. Use our sample statement to the police about theft of property. Explanations are highlighted in blue.

Liability of minors

Persons who have not yet turned eighteen years old cannot, by law, be criminally convicted for illegal actions. However, from the age of 11 they are subject to arrest. A child who has committed theft may be placed in specialized institutions for re-education. Punishment for theft of someone else's property and property can be done by obtaining a passport as an individual.

Such a child faces prison only after sixteen years of age. If a person has committed grave and especially grave crimes, then this is an exception. For example, a child caused major damage, broke into a building or apartment, or conspired with friends. For simple theft, a child can receive a prison term of up to two years, compulsory labor for a period of up to two years, or correctional labor for a period of one year. Parents, as a result of legal proceedings, will face a large fine.

Criminal penalties can be awarded even for small thefts. If a citizen has previously had convictions for similar crimes or there are aggravating circumstances not in his favor, he cannot avoid time and punishment. Theft on an especially large scale, breaking into someone else's apartment or office, and grouped crimes provide the criminal with a long life in prison - up to 10 years.

Responsibility of parents for theft committed by children

Children under sixteen years of age are not prosecuted under the Code of Administrative Offenses and are not considered offenders, but this does not mean their complete impunity. An administrative penalty may be imposed on their parents, and they themselves may be registered with the juvenile police department.

In addition, if a child has committed an administrative offense and, moreover, a criminal offense, his parents may be subject to an inspection by the guardianship and trusteeship authorities regarding the adequacy of the upbringing and care of the child.