petty theft

American  

[pet-ee theft] / ˈpɛt i ˈθɛft /

noun

plural

petty thefts

1. theft involving a small amount of money or items of little value.

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Other Word Forms

• petty thief
  noun

Example Sentences

But Gonzalez said he told ICE hiring officials that he had a 10-year-old felony on his record for petty theft and he was told he wouldn’t qualify for the position.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025

The sheriff’s office did not name the newspaper theft suspect in its statement, but The Plaindealer said the office had cited Paul Choate, 41, on suspicion of petty theft.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2024

Mr. Mayorga also pleaded guilty to a petty theft offense in August.

From Washington Times • Oct. 18, 2023

“This does not include general retail crimes like petty theft, shoplifting or poverty-driven crimes,” the AG’s office said in a news release.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2022

So, you see, even these minor distinctions felt like petty theft.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez