Larceny By Conversion

Larceny by conversion is a theft crime that is a little different than other theft crimes in Michigan. In order to complete this crime, a person must gain property or possessions by cheating someone.  Michigan law punishes people harshly for cheating someone out of their possessions or property. The more valuable the item stolen, the tougher the penalties gets. A person who is facing this charge could face prison time, high fines, court costs and a long term of probation.

Larceny is an old common law charge that was brought over by our founders from England hundreds of years ago. Over the centuries, the vast majority of states and even England have eliminated larceny from their books. Instead of larceny, new categories of theft crimes were created such as burglary, theft and robbery. Michigan is one of the last states around that still have a crime called larceny on the books.

Under Michigan law, Larceny by conversion is,

  “Any person to whom any money, goods or other property, which may be the subject of larceny, shall have been delivered, who shall embezzle or fraudulently convert to his own use, or shall secrete with the intent to embezzle, or fraudulently use such goods, money or other property, or any part thereof, shall be deemed by so doing to have committed the crime of larceny and shall be punished as provided in the first section of this chapter.”

There are other kinds of larceny crimes in Michigan. There is a second crime called Larceny from an Automobile. In order to prove a person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt the people of the state of Michigan must show that,

1. The accused removed something from a car
2. The item was taken without consent of the owner
3. The property taken was in or at least on the car
4. There was some kind of movement of the property. The prosecutor must not show that the defendant kept the property
5. The accused intended to permanently deprive the owner of the property.

Larceny from a person is the third theft crime on the books in Michigan. In order to get a successful conviction on this charge, the prosecutor must show that the defendant

1. Took the property of another person
2. The property taken was done so without consent
3. There was movement of the property
4. When the property was taken, it was taken from the immediate control or presence of a person
5. The defendant intended to permanently deprive the owner of the property

Larceny from a Building is a crime where the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant

1. The accused took property that belonged to someone else
2. The property taken was done so without consent
3. The property taken was located in a building
4. The defendant moved the property
5. The property had some values when it was taken
6. The accused intended to deprive the owner of the property permanently

Finally, there is Larceny by Trick. This crime deals with a defendant having a special, temporary or limited purpose for having possession of the property. The owner of the property has no intention of handing over full-time ownership. While the defendant has temporary ownership, the accused does something that they know was not part of the agreement and then has control of the property without consent.