Crime of theft by coercion occurs when the criminal intent to
commit the punishable act is present in the perpetrator, knowing at
the time of the act that they are wrongfully appropriating
something owned by a third party without their consent, with the
intention of taking possession of it.
The standard crime of theft differs from the crime of theft by
coercion. The crime of theft typically occurs through negligence,
whereas in the crime of theft by coercion, one of the tools of
coercion is used to steal from the victim.
The element of coercion in theft is defined as any forcible
means imposed on individuals to disable or eliminate their
resistance to facilitate the theft. It is not necessary for the
coercion to precede or contemporaneously accompany the act of
misappropriation, but it can be fulfilled even if it immediately
follows the act, as long as the purpose is to secure the stolen
item.
