NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160 (2026)

Willful and wanton injury to personal property; punishments

✓ current as of July 2026

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(a) If any person shall wantonly and willfully injure the personal property of another he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), if any person shall wantonly and willfully injure the personal property of another, causing damage in an amount in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.00), he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(c) This section applies to injuries to personal property without regard to whether the property is destroyed or not. (1876-7, c. 18; Code, s. 1082; 1885, c. 53; Rev., s. 3676; C.S., s. 4331; 1969, c. 1224, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, s. 105; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 39 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1949–2026 · leading case: State v. Ellis, 776 S.E.2d 675 (N.C. 2015).

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State v. Ellis, 776 S.E.2d 675 (N.C. 2015). · cites it 3× “N.C.G.S. § 14-160 (2013). The identity of the owner of the property that the defendant allegedly injured is a material element of the offense of injury to *345 personal property.”

State v. Swann, 370 S.E.2d 533 (N.C. 1988). · cites it 3× “The defendant admitted during direct examination that he had four prior convictions, including one for damage to property and one for driving without a license.”

State v. Hardy, 774 S.E.2d 410 (N.C. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “In contrast to the statute defining larceny to include both personal property and fixtures which are "considered" real property as a matter of law, our General Statutes define as separate offenses injury to real property, a Class 1 misdemeanor under N.”

Matter of Davis, 483 S.E.2d 440 (N.C. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 4× “In March 1996, Joseph Morton filed petitions alleging respondents were delinquent juveniles in that they injured his personal property, seven automobiles, in violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-160 (1993). The trial court found each respondent delinquent and ordered that each be…”

State v. Ayers, 819 S.E.2d 407 (N.C. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160 (a) (2017) ; State v.”

State v. Poe, 458 S.E.2d 242 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 4× “Defendants Elbert Randolph Poe and David Ladell Beasley were indicted for charges of assault with a deadly weapon in violation of North Carolina General Statutes § 14-32(b) (1993) and injury to personal property in violation of North Carolina General Statutes § 14-160 (1993).”

State v. Cave, 621 S.E.2d 299 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 2× “2 We disagree. To convict a defendant of injury to personal property or larceny, the State must prove that the personal property was that “of another,” i.”

In re D.A.C., 741 S.E.2d 378 (N.C. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “00 in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160 . The petitions were called for hearing before the trial court at the 5 January 2012 juvenile session of the Stanly County District Court.”

State v. Bradsher, 805 S.E.2d 191 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 3× “Defendant was charged with injury to personal property causing damage more than $200 in violation of N.C.G.S. § 14-160(b) (2015). The State must prove the following four elements for the crime of injury to personal property: "(1) personal property was injured; (2) the personal…”

State v. Ellis, 763 S.E.2d 574 (N.C. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 5× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160 (2004) (“If any person shall wantonly and willfully injure the personal property of another he shall be guilty.”

Matter of Meaut, 275 S.E.2d 200 (N.C. Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 2× “The juvenile petitions charged respondents with violation of G.S. 14-160 which, in pertinent part, provides: “[I]f any person shall wantonly and wilfully injure the personal property of another, causing damage in an amount in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.”

State v. McNair, 799 S.E.2d 631 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). “93 INJURY TO PERSONAL PROPERTY And the jurors for the State upon their oath present that on or about the 19th day of February, 2014, in the County named above the defendant named above unlawfully and willfully did wantonly injure personal property, a lock on the shed door of…”

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— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160(a) — 2 cases

State v. Swann, 370 S.E.2d 533 (N.C. 1988). “The defendant admitted during direct examination that he had four prior convictions, including one for damage to property and one for driving without a license.”

State v. Tanner, 212 S.E.2d 695 (N.C. Ct. App. 1975).

— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-160(b) — 4 cases

State v. Bradsher, 805 S.E.2d 191 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). “Defendant was charged with injury to personal property causing damage more than $200 in violation of N.C.G.S. § 14-160(b) (2015). The State must prove the following four elements for the crime of injury to personal property: "(1) personal property was injured; (2) the personal…”

Matter of Meaut, 275 S.E.2d 200 (N.C. Ct. App. 1981). “The juvenile petitions charged respondents with violation of G.S. 14-160 which, in pertinent part, provides: “[I]f any person shall wantonly and wilfully injure the personal property of another, causing damage in an amount in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.”

State v. Redmond (N.C. Ct. App. 2022).

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