When does a person commit theft of rental property?
Theft of rental property is similar to theft of personal property except the intent can be to obtain temporary use of the personal property of another by means of threat or deception or knowing that the use was without the consent of the person providing the personal property. Typically this charge occurs when a person has rented property like tools, a vehicle (including a rental truck or car), or furniture from a company and fails to return the property at the termination of the rental agreement.
Colorado Revised Statute 18-4-402 Theft of rental Property
(1) A person commits theft of rental property if he:
(a) Obtains the temporary use of personal property of another, which is available only for hire, by means of threat or deception, or knowing that such use is without the consent of the person providing the personal property; or
(b) Having lawfully obtained possession for temporary use of the personal property of another which is available only for hire, knowingly fails to reveal the whereabouts of or to return said property to the owner thereof or his representative or to the person from whom he has received it within seventy-two hours after the time at which he agreed to return it.
