A person commits the criminal offense of receiving stolen property if the person buys or receives any property knowing that it has been stolen. Laws regarding receiving stolen property vary from state to state and some states also make it a crime to receive property obtained by extortion, or to conceal, sell, withhold, or aid in concealing, selling, or withholding any property from the owner, knowing the property was stolen or obtained by extortion, for example.

The criminal offense of receiving stolen property may be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony in many states (a wobbler offense)—usually depending on the value of the stolen property.

Laws regarding receiving stolen property are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Colorado, the criminal offense of receiving stolen property is addressed under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 18-4-404. A person commits this offense if they knowingly receive, retain, loan money on, or dispose of anything of value of another knowing or believing that it has been stolen. The severity of the charge, whether misdemeanor or felony, typically depends on the value of the stolen property. If the value of the property is less than $2,000, the offense is generally charged as a misdemeanor. If the value is $2,000 or more, it is charged as a felony. The specific classification ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor for property valued under $2,000 to a class 2 felony for property valued at $1 million or more. Additionally, Colorado law also addresses the crime of theft by receiving, which can encompass property obtained by extortion. Penalties for these offenses can include fines, restitution, and imprisonment, with the severity of the penalties corresponding to the value of the property and the classification of the offense.