Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 759 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 513 3
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By: Senators B. Johnson, Hill 5
By: Representative M. Shepherd 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL THEFT; 9
TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF THEFT OR 10
UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OF A MAIL RECEPTACLE KEY OR 11
LOCK; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL 16
THEFT; AND TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL 17
OFFENSE OF THEFT OR UNAUTHORIZED 18
REPRODUCTION OF A MAIL RECEPTACLE KEY OR 19
LOCK. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 5, Chapter 36, Subchapter 1, is amended 24
to add additional sections to read as follows: 25
5-36-127. Mail theft. 26
(a) As used in this section: 27
(1) "Mail" means a letter, postcard, parcel, envelope, package, 28
bag, or another sealed article addressed to another person, along with its 29
contents; 30
(2) "Mail depository" means a mail box, letter box, or mail 31
receptacle of a postal service, an office of a postal service, or a vehicle 32
of a postal service; and 33
(3) "Postal service" means the United States Postal Service or 34
its contractors or any commercial courier that delivers mail. 35
(b) A person commits mail theft if he or she knowingly: 36 SB513
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(1) Takes or exercises unauthorized control over or makes an 1
unauthorized transfer of an interest in the mail of another person that is in 2
a mail depository or with a postal service for the purpose of depriving the 3
other person of the mail; 4
(2) Obtains the mail of another person by deception or by threat 5
with the purpose of depriving the other person of the mail; or 6
(3) Sells, receives, possesses, transfers, buys, or conceals 7
mail obtained unlawfully as prohibited by subdivision (b)(1) or subdivision 8
(b)(2) of this section, while knowing or having reason to know the mail was 9
obtained unlawfully. 10
(c) Mail theft is a: 11
(1) Class D felony for a first offense; or 12
(2) Class A felony for a second or subsequent offense. 13
(d) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (c) of this 14
section, a person convicted of mail theft under this section shall be ordered 15
to make full restitution to the victim and any other person who has suffered 16
a financial loss as a result of the offense of mail theft. 17
(e) Mail theft may be prosecuted in any of the following counties: 18
(1) The county where the offense occurred; or 19
(2) The county of residence or place of business of the direct 20
or indirect victim. 21
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5-36-128. Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key 23
or lock. 24
(a) As used in this section: 25
(1) "Mail" means a letter, postcard, parcel, envelope, package, 26
bag, or another sealed article addressed to another person, along with its 27
contents; and 28
(2) "Postal service" means the United States Postal Service or 29
its contractors or any commercial courier that delivers mail. 30
(b) A person commits theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail 31
receptacle key or lock if he or she: 32
(1) Commits theft of a key or lock adopted by a postal service 33
for a box or other authorized receptacle for the deposit or delivery of mail; 34
or 35
(2) Knowingly makes, forges, or counterfeits a key or possesses 36 SB513
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a key or lock adopted by a postal service that delivers mail with the purpose 1
to unlawfully use, sell, or otherwise dispose of the key or lock or to cause 2
the key or lock to be unlawfully used, sold, or otherwise disposed. 3
(c) Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key or 4
lock is a: 5
(1) Class D felony for a first offense; or 6
(2) Class A felony for a second or subsequent offense. 7
(d) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (c) of this 8
section, a person convicted of theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail 9
receptacle key or lock shall be ordered to make full restitution to the 10
victim and any other person who has suffered a financial loss as a result of 11
the offense. 12
(e) Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key or 13
lock may be prosecuted in any of the following counties: 14
(1) The county where the offense occurred; or 15
(2) The county of residence or place of business of the direct 16
or indirect victim. 17
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APPROVED: 4/17/25 20
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