What Does It Mean to "Receive Stolen Property"?

According to general receiving stolen property laws, it is a crime to accept or purchase any
property which you believe or have actual knowledge that it was obtained through illegal means,
such as theft. However, receiving stolen property is its own separate crime and thus should not
be confused with the similar criminal acts of theft, robbery, or extortion.

Depending on the jurisdiction and the facts involved in a specific case, receiving stolen property
may be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor offense. The rationale behind this criminal
act is to deter people from rewarding and assisting thieves by purchasing or hiding stolen
property, as well as to prevent occurrences of theft or larceny overall.

In order to be convicted on charges for receiving stolen property, a prosecutor will typically have
to prove the following elements first:

 The property must have been stolen before it was received;

 The property must be received by some other individual aside from the thief who
allegedly stole it;
 The person who receives the stolen property must have either had actual knowledge or
should have known that the property in question was stolen; and
 The receiver must have possessed the intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner of
their property (e.g., by keeping it, hiding it, selling it, giving it away, etc.).

Again, the rules and requirements for proving the crime of receiving stolen property will vary by
jurisdiction. Thus, in some states, a prosecutor may need to demonstrate that the defendant aided
a thief by accepting and/or purchasing the stolen goods. In addition, other states may distinguish
between the act of possessing and receiving stolen property. 

Therefore, you should consider hiring a local criminal defense attorney immediately for further
advice on the relevant laws in your state and to provide legal representation in criminal court if
you are facing charges for receiving stolen property. It is especially important to hire an attorney
for representation if the charges against you constitute a felony offense since the consequences
for being convicted may include a term of imprisonment.