(a)  Any person being in possession of personal property under a lease who sells, transfers, conceals, or aids in concealing the property, or any part of it, or refuses to return the leased personal property after the time of expiration of the lease with the intent of depriving the owner of the property, shall be guilty of larceny and be subject to the penalties set forth in § 11-41-5.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-41-16.1

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.

(b)  The use of a false or fictitious name or address in obtaining leased personal property shall constitute prima facie evidence of intent to violate this section.

(c)  “Leased personal property”, as used in this section, means any personal property received pursuant to a written contract, by which one owning the property (lessor) grants to another (lessee) the right to possess, use, and enjoy the personal property for a specified period of time for a specified sum.

History of Section.
P.L. 1984, ch. 249, § 2.