Tampering in the first degree
This law covers two things. First, it is a crime to mess with or damage property owned by a utility company or a health or safety service, if doing so causes a big disruption to that service. Second, it is a crime to knowingly have, receive, sell, or drive a motor vehicle (like a car, motorcycle, or boat) without the owner's permission. This is a class D felony, which is a serious crime. In court, past similar actions or buying a vehicle for way less than it was worth can be used as evidence to show the person knew what they were doing was wrong.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
569.080. in the first degree — . — 1. A person commits the of tampering in the first degree if he or she:
(1) For the purpose of causing a substantial interruption or impairment of a rendered to the public by a or by an institution providing health or safety protection, or tampers with property or facilities of such a utility or institution, and thereby causes substantial interruption or impairment of service; or
(2) receives, possesses, sells, or operates an automobile, airplane, motorcycle, motorboat or other motor-propelled vehicle without the of the owner thereof.
2. Upon a finding by the court that the outweighs the , evidence of the following is in any of a person under (2) of 1 of this section to prove the that he or she:
(1) Received, possessed, sold, or operated an automobile, airplane, motorcycle, motorboat, or other motor-propelled vehicle unlawfully on a separate occasion; or
(2) Acquired the automobile, airplane, motorcycle, motorboat, or other motor-propelled vehicle for a which he or she knew was far below its reasonable value.
3. The offense of tampering in the first degree is a .
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Source & history notes
(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1454, et al., A.L. 2005 H.B. 353, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.