Theft
HRS 708-833 — up to $250 is a petty misdemeanor, over $750 a felony, and a car or a gun is class B whatever it is worth
Theft covers taking unauthorized control of property with intent to deprive the owner of it, getting it by deception, keeping lost or mislaid property without reasonable measures to find the owner, getting services by deception, failing to pay over money held for someone, receiving stolen property, and shoplifting.
Who handles this in Hawaii: Hawaii State Bar Association, Lawyer Referral and Information Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Hawaii directory.
| Degree | Value or kind | Level |
|---|---|---|
| DegreeFourth | Value or kindAny value not in excess of $250 | LevelA petty misdemeanor |
| DegreeThird | Value or kindOver $250 | LevelA misdemeanor |
| DegreeSecond | Value or kindOver $750; anything taken from a person; a purse, handbag or wallet; over $250 from someone sixty years of age or older | LevelA class C felony |
| DegreeFirst | Value or kindOver $20,000; a firearm; explosives; a motor vehicle or motorcycle; over $750 from someone sixty years of age or older, or anything from their person; over $300 during a proclaimed emergency | LevelA class B felony |
The higher amounts for older owners apply where their age is known or reasonably should be known to the person.
Leaving without paying where payment is ordinarily due on the spot is prima facie evidence that services were obtained by deception. A dealer who buys goods for a price far below their reasonable value is prima facie taken to know they were stolen.
Sources for this section (5)
- HRS 708-830 — Theft
- HRS 708-830.5 — Theft in the first degree
- HRS 708-831 — Theft in the second degree
- HRS 708-832 — Theft in the third degree
- HRS 708-833 — Theft in the fourth degree
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Hawaii attorney.