South Carolina § 16-13-420 - Failure to return leased or rented property; fraudulent appropriation of leased or rented property.

§ 16-13-420. Failure to return leased or rented property; fraudulent appropriation of leased or rented property.

(A) A person having any property in his possession or under his control by virtue of a lease or rental agreement is guilty of larceny if he:

(1) wilfully and fraudulently fails to return the property within seventy-two hours after the lease or rental agreement has expired;

(2) fraudulently secretes or appropriates the property to any use or purpose not within the due and lawful execution of the lease or rental agreement.

The provisions of this section do not apply to lease-purchase agreements or conditional sales type contracts.

(B) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a:

(1) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, if the value of the rented or leased item is ten thousand dollars or more;

(2) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, if the value of the rented or leased item is more than two thousand dollars but less than ten thousand dollars;

(3) misdemeanor triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, if the value of the rented or leased item is two thousand dollars or less. Upon conviction, the person must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 46-150.87:1; 1964 (53) 1880; 1970 (56) 2498; 1993 Act No. 171, SECTION 13; 1993 Act No. 184, SECTION 117; 2000 Act No. 409, SECTION 1; 2010 Act No. 273, SECTION 16.S, eff June 2, 2010.