(in many US states and formerly in Britain) theft of personal property having a value less than a legally specified amount.
‘Prophitt was charged with felonious assault and petty larceny.’
‘Arrest records confirmed popular charges that petty larceny was ‘a boy's crime.’’
‘Backster admits that he committed a bit of petty larceny in the name of science: he went to another office, went into a secretary's desk drawer and retrieved some matches.’
‘Venial sins were the small-time stuff: white lies and petty larceny, like talking back and stealing candy.’
‘You truly were going to send her to prison and bother me with putting this young lady on trial for a petty larceny?’
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