Penal Code 487 is California’s grand theft law: theft where the value exceeds $950, or of a firearm — the express exception under Prop 47 (PC 490.2(c)) — regardless of value. Under Prop 47, a vehicle worth $950 or less is petty theft, not grand theft (People v. Page (2017) 3 Cal.5th 1175); whether the $950 rule reduces theft taken directly from a person is unsettled.
It is a wobbler; below the line, the case is petty theft (PC 488).
What PC 487 Says
PC 487 makes theft grand theft when the money, labor, or property taken exceeds $950. It is also grand theft — regardless of value — when the property is a firearm (the express exception under Prop 47, PC 490.2(c)), or falls into specified farm-product or employee-theft categories. A vehicle worth $950 or less is petty theft, not grand theft, under Prop 47 (People v. Page (2017) 3 Cal.5th 1175); whether the $950 rule reduces theft taken directly from a person is unsettled.
The $950 Line and the Categories
Value drives most grand-theft cases. At or under $950, the charge is petty theft; above it, the DA can reach for grand theft. How the value is proven — and whether the alleged property really fits a no-value-limit category — is frequently the whole fight.
Penalties and Defenses
Grand theft is a wobbler. As a misdemeanor it carries up to a year in county jail; as a felony the exposure is greater. Defenses include value disputes that pull the case under $950, no intent to steal (a claim of right or borrowing), and mistaken identity. A PC 17(b) reduction, civil compromise, and judicial diversion (PC 1001.95) can all keep it off a record as a felony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is grand theft a felony or a misdemeanor in California?
Grand theft under PC 487 is a wobbler — it can be charged as a misdemeanor (up to a year in county jail) or a felony. The classification often turns on the value and circumstances of the theft.
What is the difference between petty theft and grand theft?
Petty theft (PC 488) is theft of $950 or less — including a vehicle, under Prop 47 (PC 490.2) and People v. Page (2017) 3 Cal.5th 1175. Grand theft (PC 487) is theft over $950, or of a firearm regardless of value, the express exception under PC 490.2(c). Whether the $950 rule reduces theft directly from a person is unsettled.
How do you defend a grand theft charge?
By disputing the value to pull the case under the $950 grand-theft line, showing no intent to steal (a claim of right or borrowing), and challenging identity. A PC 17(b) reduction, civil compromise, and diversion can also keep it off your record as a felony.
GuidesComplete Guide to California Misdemeanors · Glossary · Penalties Reference.
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Ahmed S. Hasan
San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney · State Bar of California #364992
Ahmed S. Hasan is the founder of ASH Legal, a solo criminal defense practice based in San Francisco. The firm runs on flat-fee representation: one lawyer, one fee, from arraignment through resolution. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices.
Ahmed is a graduate of Emory University School of Law and a member in good standing of the State Bar of California (Bar #364992). His practice focuses on San Francisco misdemeanor defense — DUI, domestic violence, petty theft and shoplifting, drug possession, vandalism, trespassing, and assault and battery — with particular attention to diversion-track outcomes that end in dismissal under PC 1001.95, PC 1001.36 (Mental Health Diversion), PC 1001.80 (Military Diversion), and PC 1001.83 (Parental Caregiver Diversion).
Ahmed previously served as a post-bar clerk with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, the city's largest indigent-defense practice. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley.
He represents clients at the San Francisco Hall of Justice (850 Bryant Street) and the Civic Center Courthouse. The ASH Legal office is at 15 Boardman Place, Suite 301, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Free 30-minute consultations are available by phone or Zoom. (510) 545-6515 · ahmed@ashlegal.com