§13A-8-2. Theft of property - Definition; limitations period.

(a) A person commits the crime of theft of property if he or she:

(1) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;

(2) Knowingly obtains by deception control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;

(3) Knowingly obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of a law enforcement agency which was explicitly represented to the person by an agent of the law enforcement agency as being stolen; or

(4) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over any donated item left on the property of a charitable organization or in a drop box or trailer, or within 30 feet of a drop box or trailer, belonging to a charitable organization.

(b) The limitations period for any prosecution under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) does not commence or begin to accrue until the discovery of the facts constituting the deception, after which the prosecution shall be commenced within five years.

(Acts 1977, No. 607, p. 812, §3201; Act 2003-355, p. 962, §1; Act 2004-297, p. 419, §1; Act 2014-348, §1.)