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Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
A. As used in this section:
“Delivery service” means the same as that term is defined in § 18.2-246.6. “Delivery service” does not include the United States Postal Service.
“Mail” means any letter, postal card, parcel, package, bag, or other material, along with its contents, that (i) has postage affixed by the postal customer or a postal service, (ii) has been accepted for delivery by a postal service, (iii) the postal customer leaves for collection by a postal service, or (iv) a postal service delivers to the postal customer, which has not been retrieved from the mail receptacle.
“Mail receptacle” means a mailbox, post office box, rural box, letter box, lock drawer, or any place or area intended or used by postal customers or a postal service for the collection, deposit, or delivery of mail.
“Postal service” means the United States Postal Service or a delivery service.
B. Any person who (i) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to deprive, injure, damage, or defraud another (a) takes, destroys, hides, or embezzles mail or (b) obtains any mail by fraud or deception; (ii) buys, receives, conceals, or possesses (a) mail and knows or reasonably should know that the mail was unlawfully taken or obtained; (b) any key he knows or reasonably should know is suited to any lock adopted by the United States Postal Service that provides access to any mail receptacle located in a cluster mailbox unit or other mailbox panel used for the purpose of centralized mail in any neighborhood, including any condominium or apartment complex; or (c) a counterfeit device or key designed to provide access to any lock described in clause (b); or (iii) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to steal any mail inside damages, opens, removes, injures, vandalizes, or destroys any mail receptacle is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Virginia Code Title 18.2. Crimes and Offenses Generally § 18.2-110.1. Mail theft; penalty - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/va/title-18-2-crimes-and-offenses-generally/va-code-sect-18-2-110-1/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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