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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="7-101" title_number="7" title_name="Theft and Related Crimes" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Crimes Involving Theft">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this part the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Deception” means knowingly to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>create or confirm in another a false impression that the offender does not believe to be true;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>fail to correct a false impression that the offender previously has created or confirmed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>prevent another from acquiring information pertinent to the disposition of the property involved;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>sell or otherwise transfer or encumber property without disclosing a lien, adverse claim, or other legal impediment to the enjoyment of the property, regardless of whether the impediment is of value or a matter of official record;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>insert or deposit a slug in a vending machine;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>remove or alter a label or price tag;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>promise performance that the offender does not intend to perform or knows will not be performed; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>misrepresent the value of a motor vehicle offered for sale by tampering or interfering with its odometer, or by disconnecting, resetting, or altering its odometer with the intent to change the mileage indicated.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Deception” does not include puffing or false statements of immaterial facts and exaggerated representations that are unlikely to deceive an ordinary individual.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Deprive” means to withhold property of another:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>permanently;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>for a period that results in the appropriation of a part of the property’s value;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>with the purpose to restore it only on payment of a reward or other compensation; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>to dispose of the property or use or deal with the property in a manner that makes it unlikely that the owner will recover it.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Exert control” includes to take, carry away, appropriate to a person’s own use or sell, convey, or transfer title to an interest in or possession of property.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Exert control” does not include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>to trespass on the land of another; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>to occupy the land of another without authorization.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Interactive computer service” means an information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Interactive computer service” includes a service or system that provides access to the Internet.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Motor vehicle” has the meaning stated in § 11-135 of the Transportation Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Obtain” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>in relation to property, to bring about a transfer of interest in or possession of the property; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>in relation to a service, to secure the performance of the service.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>Except as otherwise expressly provided in this part, “owner” means a person, other than the offender:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>who has an interest in or possession of property regardless of whether the person’s interest or possession is unlawful; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>without whose consent the offender has no authority to exert control over the property.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Property” means anything of value.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Property” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>real estate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>money;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a commercial instrument;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>an admission or transportation ticket;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a written instrument representing or embodying rights concerning anything of value, or services, or anything otherwise of value to the owner;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>a thing growing on or affixed to, or found on land, or part of or affixed to any building;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>electricity, gas, and water;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>a bird, animal, or fish that ordinarily is kept in a state of confinement;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ix">
        <text>food or drink;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="x">
        <text>a sample, culture, microorganism, or specimen;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xi">
        <text>a record, recording, document, blueprint, drawing, map, or a whole or partial copy, description, photograph, prototype, or model of any of them;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xii">
        <text>an article, material, device, substance, or a whole or partial copy, description, photograph, prototype, or model of any of them that represents evidence of, reflects, or records a secret:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>scientific, technical, merchandising, production, or management information; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>designed process, procedure, formula, invention, trade secret, or improvement;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="xiii">
        <text>a financial instrument; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xiv">
        <text>information, electronically produced data, and a computer software or program in a form readable by machine or individual.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>“Property of another” means property in which a person other than the offender has an interest that the offender does not have the authority to defeat or impair, even though the offender also may have an interest in the property.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>“Service” includes:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>labor or professional service;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>telecommunication, public utility, toll facility, or transportation service;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>lodging, entertainment, or restaurant service; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the use of computers, data processing, or other equipment.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>“Slug” means an object that, because of its size, shape, or other quality, can be deposited or inserted in a vending machine as an improper substitute for the payment required to operate the vending machine.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Theft” means the conduct described in §§ 7-104 through 7-107 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Theft” includes motor vehicle theft, unless otherwise indicated.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>“Vending machine” means a device designed to receive a specified payment and in exchange automatically offer, provide, assist in providing, or allow a person to acquire property or service.</text>
  </level>
</section>
