A Michigan woman allegedly stole a horse and buggy from an Amish couple while they shopped at a Walmart last weekend. The appeal of the crime is obvious — no USB cables to mess with, no sensors to fool, just hop in and go. Yet, if you’re looking to follow in this woman’s footsteps, a word of caution: The penalties for stealing a horse and buggy are much, much worse than just stealing a car.
First the details of the case from the local Sturgis, Michigan, Fox affiliate, Fox 59:
Police in Sturgis, Michigan, about 90 miles south of Grand Rapids along the Indiana border, were called to a local Walmart on Saturday after an Amish family reported that their buggy and horse had been stolen.
A truck driver, who was parked nearby, told investigators that he saw it happen and gave a description of the suspect.
Police said they had already made contact with the suspect, a 31-year-old Sturgis woman, earlier in the day at the same Walmart. They did not detail the circumstances surrounding the earlier encounter.
Later in the evening, the horse and buggy were found unoccupied nearby, police said. The woman was found at a nearby motel and taken into custody without incident.
Sounds like the suspect’s life might not be going great. It got much worse when she decided to go low tech with her larceny. In fact, she’d be in way less trouble if she’d just stolen a car.
The distinction between the two comes from an odd bifurcation within auto theft law. Stealing a car with the intent to take it from its owner forever is different — and more harshly penalized — than nabbing one for a simple joyride. Within Horse Law, however, no such distinction exists. Steve Lehto, former Jalop contributor, broke it all down.
Had this woman stolen a car for a joyride, she may well have been charged with a misdemeanor. Had she stolen one with the intent to deprive the owner of it permanently, she’d be charged with auto theft — a felony, sure, but only one felony.
Instead, by stealing both a horse and a buggy, this women managed to be charged with two felonies. Larceny of livestock — the horse — is unambiguously a felony offense in Michigan. Regular larceny — the buggy — can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value of the item stolen, but Amish buggies don’t come cheap. It’s entirely possible that this woman could be convincted of two separate felonies from one single Walmart visit.
So, for the enterprising thieves in the audience, stick to cars. Horse and buggies are slower, harder to hide in a garage, and much worse for you if you get caught. Plus, a car is a lot less likely to kick you.