Theft of property is the most common crime

Theft or secret misappropriation of property is currently the most common crime in our society. Secret misappropriation of property is understood as the intentional unlawful gratuitous acquisition of another's property or right to property for mercenary motives by theft.

The desire for quick enrichment drives citizens to commit this crime. As a rule, offenders in this category of cases are unemployed individuals leading an antisocial lifestyle and abusing alcohol.

Unfortunately, such people treat the values of human labor and others' property with disregard, believing that if something is left unattended, it is a gift from fate. However, the greatest distress for such individuals is not public condemnation and moral norms, but the criminal liability provided for the misappropriation of property.

Criminal liability under Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus is incurred upon the secret misappropriation of property from an individual in the amount exceeding 2 base units (which amounts to 42 Belarusian rubles) and from a legal entity in the amount exceeding 10 base units (210 Belarusian rubles).

The range of punishments for secret misappropriation of property, depending on the severity of the committed crime, is quite broad, from community service to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Examples of misappropriation are diverse, and sometimes one is surprised by how thoughtless the offenders were, and as a result, the inevitability of criminal liability and punishment.

For instance, Larisa, an assistant educator born in 1963, while in the premises of a post office, secretly stole a wallet left unattended on a seat, containing property totaling 592,000 rubles. She then fled the scene and disposed of the stolen property as she saw fit. The accused fully admitted her guilt in court, repented of her actions, and could not explain the reason for her conduct.

Considering that the accused has no prior convictions and is characterized positively at her place of work and residence, the damage caused

committed the crime, compensated for the damage in full, sincerely repented of the committed crime, the court sentenced Larisa to a fine of 35 base values in the amount of 7,350,000 rubles to the state treasury.

And the conclusion of this story is one – find your own and do not take what belongs to others.

Senior Assistant to the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor Ivan Ryzhko