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 Tennessee, the offense of receiving stolen property is codified under Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) § 39-14-103. A person commits this offense when they knowingly obtain or exercise control over property that has been stolen, with the intent to deprive the owner of the property. The knowledge that the property is stolen can be inferred from the circumstances. The severity of the charge in Tennessee depends on the value of the stolen property. If the value of the property is $1,000 or less, the offense is classified as a misdemeanor. However, if the value exceeds $1,000, the offense can be charged as a felony, with the degree of the felony increasing with the value of the property. Tennessee law also addresses the possession of property obtained by extortion and includes provisions for the concealment, sale, or withholding of such property from the rightful owner, knowing it to have been stolen or obtained by extortion.