Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903 (2026)

Grading of theft offenses.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 3903. Grading of theft offenses.

(a) Felony of the second degree.--Theft constitutes a felony of the second degree if:

(1) The offense is committed during a manmade disaster, a natural disaster or a war-caused disaster and constitutes a violation of section 3921 (relating to theft by unlawful taking or disposition), 3925 (relating to receiving stolen property), 3928 (relating to unauthorized use of automobiles and other vehicles) or 3929 (relating to retail theft).

(2) The property stolen is a firearm.

(3) In the case of theft by receiving stolen property, the property received, retained or disposed of is a firearm.

(4) The property stolen is any amount of anhydrous ammonia.

(5) The amount involved is $100,000 or more but less than $500,000.

(a.1) Felony of the third degree.--Except as provided in subsection (a) or (a.2), theft constitutes a felony of the third degree if the amount involved exceeds $2,000, or if the property stolen is an automobile, airplane, motorcycle, motorboat or other motor-propelled vehicle, or in the case of theft by receiving stolen property, if the receiver is in the business of buying or selling stolen property.

(a.2) Felony of the first degree.--Except as provided in subsections (a) and (a.1), theft constitutes a felony of the first degree if:

(1) in the case of theft by receiving stolen property, the property received, retained or disposed of is a firearm and the receiver is in the business of buying or selling stolen property; or

(2) the amount involved is $500,000 or more.

(b) Other grades.--Theft not within subsection (a), (a.1) or (a.2), constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree, except that if the property was not taken from the person or by threat, or in breach of fiduciary obligation, and:

(1) the amount involved was $50 or more but less than $200 the offense constitutes a misdemeanor of the second degree; or

(2) the amount involved was less than $50 the offense constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(c) Valuation.--The amount involved in a theft shall be ascertained as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise specified in this section, value means the market value of the property at the time and place of the crime, or if such cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, the cost of replacement of the property within a reasonable time after the crime.

(2) Whether or not they have been issued or delivered, certain written instruments, not including those having a readily ascertainable market value such as some public and corporate bonds and securities, shall be evaluated as follows:

(i) The value of an instrument constituting an evidence of debt, such as a check, draft or promissory note, shall be deemed the amount due or collectible thereon or thereby, such figure ordinarily being the face amount of the indebtedness less any portion thereof which has been satisfied.

(ii) The value of any other instrument which creates, releases, discharges or otherwise affects any valuable legal right, privilege or obligation shall be deemed the greatest amount of economic loss which the owner of the instrument might reasonably suffer by virtue of the loss of the instrument.

(3) When the value of property cannot be satisfactorily ascertained pursuant to the standards set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection its value shall be deemed to be an amount less than $50. Amounts involved in thefts committed pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, whether from the same person or several persons, may be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense.

(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Manmade disaster." Any industrial, nuclear or transportation accident, explosion, conflagration, power failure, natural resource shortage or other condition, except enemy action, resulting from manmade causes, such as oil spills and other injurious environmental contamination, which threatens or causes substantial damage to property, human suffering, hardship or loss of life.

"Natural disaster." Any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, earthquake, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, explosion or other catastrophe which results in substantial damage to property, hardship, suffering or possible loss of life.

"War-caused disaster." Any condition following an attack upon the United States resulting in substantial damage to property or injury to persons in the United States caused by use of bombs, missiles, shellfire, nuclear, radiological, chemical or biological means, or other weapons or overt paramilitary actions, or other conditions such as sabotage.

(June 17, 1974, P.L.356, No.118, eff. imd.; Nov. 29, 1990, P.L.608, No.154, eff. 60 days; Dec. 15, 1999, P.L.915, No.59, eff. 60 days; Nov. 23, 2004, P.L.953, No.143, eff. 60 days; June 28, 2011, P.L.48, No.10, eff. 60 days; Dec. 23, 2013, P.L.1264, No.131, eff. 60 days)

2013 Amendment. Act 131 amended subsecs. (a) and (a.2). Section 3 of Act 131 provided that the amendment shall apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of section 3. Section 4 of Act 131 provided that the amendment shall apply to sentences imposed on or after the effective date of section 4.

2011 Amendment. Act 10 amended subsecs. (a), (a.1) and (b) and added subsec. (a.2). See the preamble to Act 10 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to legislative findings.

Cross References. Section 3903 is referred to in section 3926 of this title; section 15513 of Title 16 (Counties).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 118 cases (22 in the last 5 years), 1975–2025 · leading case: Com. v. Seladones, T., 305 A.3d 83 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

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Com. v. Seladones, T., 305 A.3d 83 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). · cites it 6× “18 Pa.C.S. § 3903. The statute further states that “[w]hen the value of property cannot be satisfactorily ascertained pursuant to the standards set forth in .”

Lehman v. Pennsylvania State Police, 839 A.2d 265 (Pa. 2003). · cites it 4× “See 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903(b)(2) (theft of less than $50); 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Shamberger, 788 A.2d 408 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2001). · cites it 2× “McEWEN, President Judge Emeritus, Dissenting: ¶ 1 While the author of the majority view has proposed quite a perceptive expression of rationale for rejection of each of the arguments of appellant, I am compelled to join the dissenting statement of President Judge Del Sole that…”

Commonwealth v. Kimmel, 125 A.3d 1272 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). · cites it 4× “§ 3903(a); 18 Pa. C.S. § 3903(a.l); 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903(a.”

Com. v. Nellom, F., 234 A.3d 695 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). · cites it 3× “18 Pa.C.S. § 3903, in turn, provides that theft offenses are graded, in relevant part, as follows: (a.”

Commonwealth v. Strong, 563 A.2d 479 (Pa. 1989). · cites it 4× “[4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903. [5] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903.”

Joseph Curry v. Brianne Yachera, 835 F.3d 373 (3rd Cir. 2016). “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903 (a)-(c). The sentence for misdemeanors of the second degree cannot be more than two years.”

Commonwealth v. Antidormi, 84 A.3d 736 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014). “Respectively, Appellant was adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile on August 22, 2005, and also was convicted of the same crime as an adult on November 15, 2007. See N.T. Part II at 4-5; Commonwealth's Exhibit 11, 8/11/2011, at 3-5 (unpaginated); Commonwealth’s Exhibit 12,…”

Nijhawan v. Holder, 557 U.S. 29 (2009). “, 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3903 , 3922, 4110,4111 (1983), 4117 (Supp.”

Commonwealth v. Eisenberg, M., Aplt, 98 A.3d 1268 (Pa. 2014). “See 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 3903 & 1101(4). Indeed, as appellant notes, even the most *541 serious of offenses in Pennsylvania, murder in the first degree, affords the sentencing court discretion in determining the appropriate fine, and the maximum fine imposable is $50,000.”

Commonwealth v. McLaine, 150 A.3d 70 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “On April 12, 2013, and April 19, 2013, McLaine and Kearns, respectively, were both sentenced to a term of 16 to 60 months’ incarceration, 60 months of probation, and restitution in the amount of $832,460.”

Sejid Smriko v. John Ashcroft, Attorney Gen. of the United States, 387 F.3d 279 (3rd Cir. 2004). “Under Pennsylvania law, given the amount of stolen property involved here, that offense constituted a misdemeanor in the third degree, see 18 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 3903(b)(2), which carried a potential prison sentence of one year, see 18 Pa.”

Show all 118 citing cases →

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(a) — 12 cases

Commonwealth v. Campbell, 505 A.2d 262 (Pa. 1986).

Commonwealth v. Gallagher, 442 A.2d 820 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1982).

Commonwealth v. Kimmel, 125 A.3d 1272 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). “§ 3903(a); 18 Pa. C.S. § 3903(a.l); 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903(a.”

Commonwealth v. Bossche, 471 A.2d 93 (Pa. 1984).

Commonwealth v. Robichow, 487 A.2d 1000 (Pa. 1985).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(a)(2) — 1 case

Com. v. Apostolec, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(a)(5) — 3 cases

Com. v. Griggs, E., 2025 Pa. Super. 285 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

Com. v. Gallow, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

Com. v. Griggs, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(b) — 18 cases

Com. v. Nellom, F., 234 A.3d 695 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). “18 Pa.C.S. § 3903, in turn, provides that theft offenses are graded, in relevant part, as follows: (a.”

Commonwealth v. Kimmel, 125 A.3d 1272 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). “§ 3903(a); 18 Pa. C.S. § 3903(a.l); 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903(a.”

Commonwealth v. Ostolaza, 406 A.2d 1128 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1979).

Commonwealth v. Smith, 481 A.2d 1352 (Pa. 1984).

Commonwealth ex rel. Kearney v. Rambler, 32 A.3d 658 (Pa. 2011).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(b)(1) — 3 cases

Commonwealth v. Wicks, 401 A.2d 1223 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1979).

Com. v. Goddard, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).

Pennsylvania State Police v. Denton, 775 A.2d 893 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(b)(2) — 6 cases

Lehman v. Pennsylvania State Police, 839 A.2d 265 (Pa. 2003). “See 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903(b)(2) (theft of less than $50); 18 Pa.”

In the Interest of Golden, 365 A.2d 157 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1976).

Commonwealth v. Williams, 567 A.2d 709 (Pa. 1989).

Commonwealth v. Stauffer, 361 A.2d 383 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1976).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(b)(l) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Stauffer, 361 A.2d 383 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1976).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(c) — 3 cases

Commonwealth v. Walters, 378 A.2d 1232 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1977).

Commonwealth v. Lee, 434 A.2d 1182 (Pa. 1981).

Com. v. Yacobucci, T. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(c)(1) — 3 cases

Com. v. Solomon, P., 2021 Pa. Super. 43 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

Com. v. Solomon, P., 247 A.3d 1163 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

Com. v. Griffin, C (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(c)(2) — 2 cases

Commonwealth v. Lee, 434 A.2d 1182 (Pa. 1981).

Com. v. Ewida, S., 2025 Pa. Super. 67 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(c)(2)(i) — 1 case

Com. v. Reyes, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903(c)(3) — 6 cases

Com. v. Seladones, T., 305 A.3d 83 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). “18 Pa.C.S. § 3903. The statute further states that “[w]hen the value of property cannot be satisfactorily ascertained pursuant to the standards set forth in .”

Commonwealth v. Succi, 173 A.3d 269 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Commonwealth v. Mathis, 463 A.2d 1167 (Pa. 1983).

Com. v. Tresselt, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Griffin, C (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).

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