Receiving Stolen Property in Pennsylvania

If a person is charged with receiving stolen property in Pennsylvania, certain things have to be proven before they are convicted. Firstly, the person would have actually had to perform what the law recognizes as ‘receiving’ the property. It has to be proven that the offender really attained complete possession, realized the item(s) were stolen from another party, and proceeded to intentionally withhold the property from its rightful owner. The person could be accused if either they knew the item(s) were stolen, or if they suspected or had reason to believe that they were taken illegally.

Many people may have received stolen property in Pennsylvania and were not aware that it was, so it is very important nowadays to pay attention to items that are purchased from private sellers. For example, if a student buys a car stereo system from a seller without looking at the equipment thoroughly enough, they could end up in a world of trouble if they install it and begin riding around the neighborhood casually. There are certain signs (such as scratched-off serial numbers) that would indicate the property was stolen. If the buyer was fully aware of those contorted numbers, they would then be as guilty as the person who stole the stereo initially.

There are many sites online that allow thieves to sell items very easily after they are attained by illegal means. For example, a person may go to their college dorm and swipe someone’s laptop. Afterwards, they try to get cash for it as fast as they can by putting the item up for sale on Craigslist. In a few hours they get several responses, so they decide to sell the computer to a buyer for a couple hundred dollars. That buyer is now in possession of stolen property and has no idea about it.

This buyer may have a case if, say, a situation occurs where the laptop they bought ends up being found out by authorities to be stolen. In a case like this one, they would be in a better position to argue if they had the services of a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer. Their attorney could point out the points that favor the accused person, such as the fact that they were simply making a purchase and had no clue that the laptop was acquired illegally by the seller. With good in-court representation, the chances of them being charged with receiving stolen property in Pennsylvania will be greatly reduced.