Title 6. Crimes Against Property — Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-301 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–301LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person may not willfully and maliciously destroy, injure, or deface the real or personal property of another.
(b)
A person who, in violation of this section, causes damage of at least $1,000 to the property is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.
(c)
A person who, in violation of this section, causes damage of less than $1,000 to the property is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 60 days or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
(d)
(1)
For purposes of this subsection, an act of “graffiti” means a permanent drawing, permanent painting, or a permanent mark or inscription on the property of another without the permission of the owner of the property.
(2)
In addition to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the court shall order a person convicted of causing malicious destruction by an act of graffiti to pay restitution or perform community service or both.
(3)
Title 11, Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Procedure Article applies to an order of restitution under this subsection.
(e)
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, to determine a penalty, the court may consider as one crime the aggregate value of damage to each property resulting from one scheme or continuing course of conduct.
(2)
If separate acts resulting in damage to the properties of one or more owners are set forth by separate counts in one or more charging documents, the separate counts may not be merged for sentencing.
(f)
(1)
The value of damage is not a substantive element of a crime under this section and need not be stated in the charging document.
(2)
The value of damage shall be based on the evidence and that value shall be applied for the purpose of imposing the penalties established in this section.
(3)
If it cannot be determined from the evidence whether the value of the damage to the property is more or less than $1,000, the value is deemed to be less than $1,000.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-302 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–302LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person may not willfully throw, shoot, or propel a rock, brick, piece of iron, steel, or other similar metal, or a dangerous missile at or into a vehicle or other means of transportation that is occupied by an individual.
(b)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-303 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–303LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this section, “electric company” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Public Utilities Article.
(b)
This section does not apply to:
(1)
an employee of or a person authorized by an electric company; and
(2)
supervision and control of an electric company and its material, equipment, or facilities by the political subdivision within which the electric company is doing business.
(c)
A person may not willfully:
(1)
tamper or interfere with the material, equipment, or facilities of an electric company;
(2)
make a connection with an electrical conductor to use the electricity; or
(3)
tamper with a meter used to register electricity consumed.
(d)
Prima facie evidence of intent to violate this section by a person who uses or directly benefits from the use or diversion of electricity includes:
(1)
a connection, wire, conductor, meter alteration, or other device that diverts electricity without the electric current being registered by the meter installed by the electric company that supplies the electricity;
(2)
the use of electricity supplied by an electric company without the electricity being registered on a meter that the electric company supplied; and
(3)
a showing by a check or test meter used by the electric company that a customer uses more electricity than is registered on the meter that the electric company supplied for the customer’s premises.
(e)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-304 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–304LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this section, “gas company” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Public Utilities Article.
(b)
(1)
A person may not wrongfully and maliciously damage, connect, disconnect, tap, or interfere or tamper with material, equipment, or facilities of a gas company.
(2)
A person may not intentionally damage or defraud a gas company by:
(i)
bypassing a meter provided for registering the gas consumed;
(ii)
willfully tampering with, damaging, or preventing the action of a meter to register gas; or
(iii)
causing or procuring a meter to be damaged or altered.
(c)
Prima facie evidence of a violation of this section by the person who would directly benefit from the use of the gas passing through the meter includes:
(1)
a device that allows the use of gas supplied by a gas company without the gas being registered on a meter provided by the gas company; and
(2)
damage or alteration to a meter so as to prevent the action of the meter.
(d)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $250 or both.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-305 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–305LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this section, “water equipment” includes a canal, spring, reservoir, tunnel, mound, dam, plug, main, pipe, conduit, connection, tap, valve, engine, or machinery.
(b)
This section does not apply to:
(1)
a person who is authorized by the company, municipal corporation, county, or unit of State or local government that uses or supplies water for domestic, agricultural, or manufacturing purposes or an authorized employee of the company, municipal corporation, county, or unit of State or local government; or
(2)
governmental regulation of:
(i)
water equipment; or
(ii)
water companies, as defined in § 1–101 of the Public Utilities Article.
(c)
A person may not wrongfully and maliciously:
(1)
connect, disconnect, tap, interfere or tamper with, or make a connection with water equipment that belongs to a company, municipal corporation, county, or unit of State or local government that uses or supplies water for domestic, agricultural, or manufacturing purposes; or
(2)
tamper with a meter used to register the water consumed.
(d)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-305.1 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–305.1LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Telecommunications company” means a company that provides broadband Internet, cable television, telephone, or other wireless communication services.
(3)
(i)
“Telecommunications infrastructure” means items that are used to provide broadband Internet, cable television, telephone, or other wireless communication services.
(ii)
“Telecommunications infrastructure” includes:
(1)
antennae;
(2)
fiber optic and copper cables;
(3)
headends;
(4)
telephone poles;
(5)
radio transceivers;
(6)
radio towers;
(7)
wireless support structures;
(8)
small cell facilities; and
(9)
telecommunications company office facilities.
(b)
This section does not apply to:
(1)
an employee of a telecommunications company or a person acting under the authority of a telecommunications company; or
(2)
supervision and control of a telecommunications company and its material, equipment, or facilities by a political subdivision within which the telecommunications company is doing business.
(c)
A person may not recklessly or willfully and maliciously deface, damage, or destroy telecommunications infrastructure.
(d)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-306 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–306LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person may not remove, deface, or obliterate a manufacturer’s serial number that is punched on or affixed by plate to a manufactured good with the intent to prevent tracing or identifying that good.
(b)
Except as provided in § 14-107(m) of the Transportation Article, a person may not knowingly keep or offer for sale a manufactured good from which the manufacturer’s serial number has been removed, defaced, or obliterated in violation of subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 18 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both for each violation.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 6-307 (2026)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
§ 6–307LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person may not:
(1)
sell or possess a stolen:
(i)
manufactured serial number; or
(ii)
vehicle identification plate or label; or
(2)
possess a manufactured serial number or vehicle identification plate or label if the person intends it to be:
(i)
affixed to stolen property; or
(ii)
used for fraudulent purposes.
(b)
A person who violates a provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 18 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both for each violation.