2025 NC BLET Property Crimes Scenarios

Lisa sees a purse sitting unattended on a table at a fast-food restaurant. Lisa opened the purse and saw cash inside. Lisa takes all the money ($155.00) and leaves the restaurant.

Misdemeanor Larceny

Officer Taylor and Officer Brooks are assigned to patrol a shopping district when they receive a call from a store manager at a high-end electronics store, reporting a suspected shoplifter. The manager has observed a man, later identified as Mr. Michael Davis, placing several expensive electronics into his bag without paying valued at $1,100.

Felony Larceny

Jim is willing to sell Terry a mountain bike for $150.00. However, Rick, the mini-storage facility owner mentioned earlier, knows the value of the mountain bike is atleast $900.00.

Possession of Stolen Goods (having reasonable knowledge or reasonable grounds to believe property is stolen can be inferred by selling at a fraction of value)

Larry gave Rick a rare coin. Rick agreed to keep the coin in the back pocket of his pants.

Actual Possession

Rick agreed to keep a bicycle in a 10x10 mini-storage facility he rents for Larry.

Constructive Possession

Shawn agreed to store a 70-inch flat screen television in his home for a friend. Shawn believes the $1,500.00 television was stolen because his friends is paying him $100.00 to "just hold onto the TV for a week" and the shipping box it came in was addressed to someone Shawn does not know.

Possession of Stolen Goods

Peter steals a bicycle and gives it to Paul as a gift. Peter tells Paul the bike is stolen. Paul keeps the bike anyway for his use.

Receiving Stolen Goods

Peter steals a bicycle and puts it in a commercial storage unit rented by Paul. Peter tells Paul the bike inside the storage unit has been stolen.

Receiving Stolen Goods

Greg gave a 2018 Lexus ES to Jim in exchange for drugs worth $400.00 in street value. Jim is currently keeping the Lexus in his garage. The Lexus has a broken driver's window and a damaged steering column. Jim has to splice together wires hanging from the exposed steering column to start the engine and drive the Lexus.

Possession of a Stolen Vehicle

David needed new tires for his truck but did not have any money. David found the same model truck as his in a mall parking lot. David removed and stole all four tires with rims from the truck in the parking lot. Replacing all four tires and rims (parts and labor) costs $2,000.00.

Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts

While inside the XYZ Store, Zoey stuffed $300.00 worth of clothing into a nylon bag. She intentionally left the store's main exit without paying for the merchandise.

Larceny of a Merchant

While inside the XYZ Store, Zoey stuffed $100.00 worth of clothing under her jacket so store personnel could not see it.

Shoplifting by Concealing Merchandise

While inside the XYZ Store, Zoey removed a $25.00 price tag from a pair of jeans. Zoey then removed a $75.00 tag from a more expensive pair of jeans and replaced it with the $25.00 price tag. Zoey handed the $75.00 jeans with the $25.00 price tag to a store employee for purchase.

Shoplifting by Substitution of Prices

The same conspirators steal $1,000.00 of merchandise from a Best Buy store in Onslow County and then 14 days later steal $600.00 of merchandise from a Best Buy store in Carteret County. They then exchange the stolen property with a known retail property fence in Jones County for drugs. The amounts stolen in Onslow and Carteret County are added together to total $1,600.00 worth of retail property stolen.

Organized retail theft

Hank sees a wallet sitting unattended on a table at a local restaurant. Hank opens the wallet and takes a Visa credit card. He enters the Visa credit card number as a payment method for an online account but does not purchase anything.

Financial transaction card theft

Joe gives Tom a Visa card. Joe tells Tom that he stole it from another person and originally intended to use the card. Tom uses the Visa card at a restaurant to buy a meal.

Financial Transaction Card Fraud

John travels to a church and presents to the congregation that he is a licensed stockbroker looking for money to invest in a fund guaranteed to double their investment. At the time John makes these representations, he is, in fact, not a licensed broker in any state and has no intention of investing any of the money he receives in the market. After his presentation, multiple congregation members give him cash totaling $97,000.00.

Obtaining Property by false pretenses

Joe and Jim are roommates. Without permission, Joe uses Jim's social security number to obtain a credit card in Jim's name.

Identity Theft

Rusty works for Hamilton's Lawn Care Service and collects customer payments. When a customer pays in cash, Rusty keeps all the $5 and $1 bills for himself.

Embezzlement by an employee

Howard is homeless and looking for a safe place to sleep. At 2am, Howard breaks into the public library and is found by staff sleeping on the floor the next morning.

Breaking or Entering of a building

Victor needs money to buy drugs. While walking along a row of unoccupied vehicles parked on a street, Victor finds an unlocked car door. Victor opens the door and takes a small handbag on the front passenger seat.

Breaking or Entering a vehicle

At 1:45am Paul is walking outside Larry's home. Unknown to Paul, Larry is inside but asleep. Paul shines a flashlight into Larry's garage window and sees a power drill on top of a workbench inside. Paul finds the window unlocked and opens it. Paul reaches in through the open window and takes the power drill.

First Degree Burglary

At 1:45am Paul is walking outside an unoccupied home. The residents are away on vacation. Paul shines a flashlight into the home's detached garage window and sees a power drill on top of a workbench. Paul finds the window unlocked and opens it. Paul reaches in through the open window and takes the power drill.

Second Degree Burglary

Officers found Tim at the entrance to a restaurant at 1:45am. The front entrance door, when inspected, bore evidence of tool marks around the lock. As the officers approached, Tim threw away a large screwdriver and hammer to prevent their discovery.

Possession of burglar's tools

Calvin wants to buy a truck he saw for sale on a local car dealer's lot. The dealership was closed and surrounded by a 6ft chain link fence with barbed wire. Calvin climbed over the fence and onto the lot to look closely at the truck he wanted to buy.

First Degree Trespass

Jason is told by shopping mall security to leave the mall parking lot because he is asking other mall customers for money. Jason refuses to leave.

Second Degree Trespass

Mike and Sam are neighbors. Sam lets his dog defecate on Mike's lawn. Out of anger, Mike drives his truck onto Sam's property, does several donuts and damages the lawn.

injury to real property

Adam is watching his favorite high school football team play a home game. The visiting team's fans are insulting, which makes Adam angry. When the game ends, Adam sees a car in the parking lot decorated with the visiting team's colors and logo. Adam uses a pocketknife to slash all four car tires.

injury to personal property

Calvin wants to buy a truck he saw for sale on a local car dealer's lot. The dealership was closed and surrounded by a 6ft chain-link fence with barbed wire. Calvin climbed over the fence and onto the lot to look closely at the truck he wanted to buy.

First Degree Trespass

Jason is told by shopping mall security to leave the mall parking lot because he is asking other mall customers for money. Jason refuses to leave.

Second Degree Trespass