Chapter Overview

        The legal definition of larceny contains five essential elements: (l) taking and (2) carrying away (3) personal property (4) of another (5) with the intent to deprive permanently (see Slide

        Many criminal offenses may be classified under the general heading of larceny. In this chapter we discuss some of the most frequently encountered types of larceny; fraud by credit card and check; cellular phone cloning; shoplifting; confidence games; mail fraud; Ponzi schemes and money laundering. This chapter also includes a discussion on identity theft, a more calculated form of fraud. Identity theft can occur from thieves rummaging through garbage, stealing and redirecting mail, using internal access of databases and surfing the Internet for personal information. The chapter concludes with a type of larceny that many law enforcement agencies lack awareness of, but is increasing in frequency; the looting of archeological sites.

        The information age has changed the ways thieves commit crimes. Easily accessible personal information in the networked world translates into more opportunities for perpetrators to steal valuable data and knowledge about people and businesses. Investigating crimes that have been committed through the Internet such as identity theft, however, can be an extremely daunting task. Many criminal investigators are not well trained on identifying and recognizing the sophisticated means by which thieves use to secure personal information from the web. In a similar vein, many departments do not have the resources, or manpower to conduct these types of investigations on their own. These challenges highlight the importance of investigators contacting other available resources to help investigate Internet fraud.

        A look at the FBI Uniform Crime Reports quickly shows that the dollar loss suffered by the American public from larceny is enormous and makes up the largest volume of offenses reported by local law enforcement agencies to the FBI. Frequently, the dollar loss is directed back to consumers in the form of higher prices. Larcenies such as the fraudulent use of checks and credit cards, confidence games and identity theft can also create much personal anguish for victims. Yet, except for cases that involve large sums of money or items of substantial value, larceny tends not to generate the same public interest as certain other crimes.