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petty theft

American  
[pet-ee theft] / ˈpɛt i ˈθɛft /

noun

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


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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Ortega pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor counts of petty theft in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 11, 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

The suspect, a 34-year-old man, faces one felony count of grand theft and one misdemeanor count of petty theft, the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

From Seattle Times Nov. 8, 2023

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Christopher Radz was charged with petty theft for stealing items from a Walmart in The Villages, according to an affidavit acquired Tuesday by Orlando Fox affiliate WOFL.

From Washington Times Oct. 11, 2023

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

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

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