Title XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS
Chapter 570 Robbery, Stealing and Related Offenses
Missouri Chapter 570: Robbery, Stealing, and Related Offenses
Chapter 570 of the Missouri Revised Statutes covers theft-related crimes ranging from robbery and stealing to identity theft, forgery, and credit card fraud. These charges can be misdemeanors or felonies depending on the amount taken, the method used, and whether violence or deception was involved. Many of these offenses are considered crimes of dishonesty and can affect employment, housing, and professional licensing long after a sentence is served.
What Chapter 570 Covers
- Robbery and vehicle hijacking
- Stealing, theft of leased/rented items, and shoplifting
- Forgery, counterfeiting, and financial fraud
- Credit card and check fraud
- Deceptive business practices and identity theft
Click any link below for a simplified explanation of what the law says, what prosecutors must prove, and what penalties apply under Missouri theft laws.
Chapter 570 Statutes Explained
- Overview: Chapter 570 – Robbery, Stealing, and Related Offenses
- § 570.023 – Robbery (First Degree)
- § 570.025 – Robbery (Second Degree)
- § 570.027 – Vehicle Hijacking
- § 570.030 – Stealing
- § 570.057 – Stealing Leased or Rented Property
- § 570.090 – Forgery
- § 570.103 – Counterfeiting
- § 570.120 – Passing Bad Checks
- § 570.130 – Fraudulent Use of a Credit or Debit Device
- § 570.135 – Fraudulent Procurement of a Credit or Debit Card
- § 570.140 – Deceptive Business Practice
- § 570.145 – Financial Exploitation of an Elderly or Disabled Person
- § 570.223 – Identity Theft
- § 570.224 – Trafficking in Stolen Identities
Facing a Theft or Fraud Charge?
Missouri law takes theft and fraud crimes seriously—especially those involving violence, deception, or vulnerable victims. If you’ve been accused of stealing, forging documents, or misusing someone’s identity or property, you need an experienced Missouri criminal defense lawyer on your side. Contact Combs Waterkotte online or call (314) 900-HELP to get the help you need and protect your future.
570.010. Chapter definitions.
This section explains key words used in theft and property crime laws
These definitions help explain what certain terms mean in Missouri’s theft and property crime laws. They cover things like “stealing,” “credit cards,” “property,” and other legal terms used in this chapter.
1. “Adulterated” means something that doesn’t meet quality standards or has been altered.
2. “Appropriate” means to take, use, or hide something for yourself or someone else.
3. “Check” means any order or method used to request payment from a bank.
4. “Coercion” means making threats to force someone to do something. This includes threats of harm, blackmail, or public shame.
5. “Credit device” is anything like a card or number used to buy something on credit.
6. “Dealer” is someone in the business of buying and selling goods.
7. “Debit device” is a card or number used to electronically move money (not a paper check).
8. “Deceit or deceive” means lying about important facts or hiding the truth to trick someone.
9. “Deprive” means to keep property away from its owner, ask for money to return it, or use it in a way the owner can’t get it back.
10. “Electronic benefits card” or “EBT card” is used to get food stamps or cash benefits.
11. “Financial institution” includes banks and credit unions.
12. “Food stamps” are benefits to help people buy food through a government program.
13. “Forcibly steals” means using or threatening force to take property.
14. “Internet service” is a service that lets people access the internet and online platforms.
15. “Means of identification” is anything that identifies a specific person.
16. “Merchant” is someone who regularly sells goods or has special knowledge about them.
17. “Mislabeled” means something has incorrect labels or is passed off as someone else’s product.
18. “Pharmacy” is any place that stores or sells controlled drugs.
19. “Property” means anything of value, including things you can touch and things like legal rights.
20. “Public assistance benefits” include money, food, and services from government aid programs.
21. “Services” include things like utilities, phone, internet, hotel stays, and transportation.
22. “Stealing-related offense” includes theft and robbery crimes under state, federal, or city laws.
23. “Teller machine” is an ATM or similar machine used to do banking without help from a person.
24. “Video service” includes cable and streaming services over the internet or similar systems.
25. “Voice over internet protocol service” is a type of internet phone service:
- Lets people talk back and forth in real time over the internet
- Needs a high-speed internet connection
- Needs special equipment that works with internet phone service
- Lets people make and receive regular phone calls using the internet
26. “Writing” includes printed materials, money, credit cards, seals, and anything that shows value or identity.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Missouri criminal defense lawyer.
