(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Motor vehicle means any self-propelled vehicle that is designed
primarily for travel on public highways and that is generally and commonly used to
transport persons and property over the public highways.
(b) Vehicle identification number means the serial number placed upon the
motor vehicle by the manufacturer thereof or assigned to the motor vehicle by the
department of revenue.
(2) A person commits motor vehicle theft in the first degree if the person
knowingly obtains, exercises control over, receives, or retains the motor vehicle of
another person; and the person knows or reasonably should have known that the
act was without authorization or was by threat or deception; and the person has two
prior convictions or adjudications of charges separately brought and tried for an
offense involving motor vehicle theft or unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in this
state, a municipality, another state, the United States, or any territory subject to the
jurisdiction of the United States.
(3) A person commits motor vehicle theft in the second degree if the person
knowingly obtains, exercises control over, receives, or retains the motor vehicle of
another person; and the person knows or should reasonably have known that the
act was without authorization or was by threat or deception; and:
(a) The person retains possession or control of the motor vehicle for more
than twenty-four hours;
(b) The person attempts to alter or disguise or alters or disguises the
appearance of the motor vehicle;
(c) The person attempts to alter or remove or alters or removes the vehicle
identification number;
(d) The person removes the motor vehicle from this state;
(e) The person unlawfully attaches or displays a license plate in or upon the
motor vehicle other than those plates officially issued for the motor vehicle;
(f) The person or a participant causes one thousand dollars or more property
damage, including property damage to the motor vehicle involved, in the course of
obtaining control over, in the exercise of control of, in the course of receiving, or in
the course of retaining the motor vehicle;
(g) The person causes bodily injury to another person other than to a
participant while in the exercise of control of the motor vehicle;
(h) The person uses or attempts to use the motor vehicle in the commission
of a crime other than:
(I) A traffic offense except eluding a police officer as described in section
42-4-1413; or
(II) A first or second degree criminal trespass of the motor vehicle; or
(i) At the time of the act, the motor vehicle displayed a license plate or
placard indicating the motor vehicle belongs to a person with a disability.
(4) A person commits motor vehicle theft in the third degree if the person
knowingly:
(a) Obtains or exercises control over the motor vehicle of another person;
and the person knows or should reasonably have known that the act was without
authorization or was by threat or deception; or
(b) Receives or retains the motor vehicle from another person who is not the
owner of the motor vehicle; the person exercises control over the motor vehicle; and
the person knows or should reasonably have known that the act was without
authorization of the owner.
(c) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2023.)
(4.5) Repealed.
(5) Consistent with section 18-1-202, if the theft of a motor vehicle occurs in
one jurisdiction and the motor vehicle is recovered in another jurisdiction, the
offender may be tried in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred, in any jurisdiction
through which the motor vehicle was operated or transported, or in the jurisdiction
in which the motor vehicle was recovered.
(6) (a) Motor vehicle theft in the first degree is a class 3 felony.
(b) Motor vehicle theft in the second degree is a class 4 felony.
(c) Motor vehicle theft in the third degree is a class 5 felony.
(7) A person whose conduct is limited to the elements of this section is not
subject to prosecution pursuant to section 18-4-401.
L. 71: R&RE, p. 430, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-4-409. L. 77: Entire section R&RE, p. 974, § 4, effective July 1. L. 79: (2)(e) amended and (2)(f) added, p. 736, § 1, effective April 25; (2)(e) and (4) amended and (2)(g) and (2)(h) added, p. 727, §§ 4, 5, effective July 1. L. 80: IP(2), IP(3), and (4) amended, p. 532, § 1, effective January 29. L. 87: (2)(a) and (2)(g) amended, p. 668, § 2, effective July 1. L. 92: (3) amended, p. 434, § 3, effective April 10. L. 95: (3)(b) and (4) amended, p. 1253, § 12, effective July 1. L. 99: Entire section amended, p. 1164, § 1, effective July 1, 2000. L. 2001: (2)(e) amended, p. 59, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2003: (4.5) added, p. 1845, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2007: (3) and (4) amended, p. 1692, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2014: (3) amended, (HB 14-1266), ch. 155, p. 539, § 6, effective August 6. L. 2021: (4)(b) and (4)(c) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3177, § 207, effective March 1, 2022; (4.5)(b) added by revision, (HB 21-1314), ch. 460, pp. 3099, 3104, §§ 9, 22. L. 2023: (1)(a), (2), (3), and (4) amended and (6) and (7) added, (SB 23-097), ch. 309, p. 1885, § 1, effective July 1.
Subsection (4.5)(b) provided for the repeal of subsection (4.5), effective January 1, 2022. (See L. 2021, pp. 3099, 3104.)
For the legislative declaration contained in the 2007 act amending subsections (3) and (4), see section 1 of chapter 384, Session Laws of Colorado 2007.
