THEFT AND RELATED OFFENSES

Memphis Code of Ordinances tit. 10, ch. 10-16

in effect

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 10-16-1 Community antenna systems—Connecting, modifying or tampering with franchised system.

Sec. 10-16-1. - Community antenna systems—Connecting, modifying or tampering with franchised system. A. It is unlawful for any person to make or use any unauthorized connection whether physically, electrically, acoustically, inductively or otherwise with any part of a franchised cable television system for the purpose of enabling himself or herself or others to receive or use any television signal, radio signal, picture, program or sound, without payment to the owner of such system. B. It is unlawful for any person without consent of the franchise owner to willfully transfer with, remove, or injure in any manner cables, wires, or equipment used for the distribution of television signals, radio signals, pictures, programs or sound. C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to licensed and certified electrical contractors while performing usual and ordinary service in accordance with recognized standards. (Code 1967, § 12½-1; Code 1985, § 10-1; Ord. No. 1712, §§ 1—3, 5-1-1973)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 10-16-2 Shoplifting.

Sec. 10-16-2. - Shoplifting. A. Any person who shall willfully take possession of any goods, wares or merchandise offered for sale by any store or other mercantile establishment with the intent of converting the same to his or her own use without paying the purchase price thereof is guilty of shoplifting. B. Any person willfully concealing unpurchased goods or merchandise of any store or other mercantile establishment, whether on the premises or outside the premises of such store, shall be prima facie presumed to have so concealed such article with intention of converting the same to his or her own use without paying the purchase price thereof. C. The finding of such unpurchased goods or merchandise concealed upon such person or among the belongings of such person shall be prima facie evidence of willful concealment, and if such person conceals, or causes to be concealed, such unpurchased goods or merchandise upon the person, or among the belongings of another, the finding of the same shall also be prima facie evidence of willful concealment on the part of the person so concealing such goods. D. A peace officer or merchant or a merchant's employee who has probable cause for believing that goods held for sale by the merchant have been unlawfully taken by a person and that he or she can recover them by taking the person into custody, may for the purpose of attempting to effect such recovery, take the person into custody and detain him or her in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time. Such taking into custody and detention by a peace officer, merchant, or merchant's employee shall not render such police officer, merchant, or merchant's employee criminally or civilly liable for false arrest, false imprisonment or unlawful detention. (Code 1967, § 22-43.2; Code 1985, § 20-18; Ord. No. 607, §§ 1—5, 12-23-1969; Ord. No. 938, § 1, 4-27-1971)

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 10-16-3 Defrauding light, gas and water division by tampering with measuring devices and diverting the utility services of another.

Sec. 10-16-3. - Defrauding light, gas and water division by tampering with measuring devices and diverting the utility services of another. A. It shall be a misdemeanor punishable as set forth hereinafter for any person as the owner, the tenant, or occupant to commit or authorize any of the following acts. It shall further be a misdemeanor punishable as set forth hereinafter for any person to commit any of the following acts which would make gas, electricity, or water available to an owner, tenant or occupant. All persons aiding and abetting or ready and consenting to aid and abet in the following prohibited acts shall be deemed principal offenders and punishable as such: 1. Connecting any tube, pipe, wire or other instrument with any meter, device or other instrument used for conducting gas, electricity or water in such a manner as to permit the use of such gas, electricity or water without the same passing through a meter or other instrument recording the usage for billing; 2. Altering, injuring or preventing the action of a meter, valve, stopcock or other instrument used for measuring quantities of gas, electricity or water; 3. Breaking, defacing or causing to be broken or defaced any seal, locking device or other parts that make up a metering device for recording usage of gas, electricity or water or a security system for such recording device; 4. Removing a metering device for measuring quantities of gas, electricity or water; 5. Transferring from one location to another a metering device for measuring quantities of gas, electricity or water; 6. Using a metering device belonging to the light, gas and water division that has not been assigned to such location and installed by the light, gas and water division; 7. Adjusting the indicated consumption, jamming the measuring device, by-passing the meter or measuring device with a jumper so that it does not indicate use or registers incorrectly or otherwise obtaining quantities of gas, electricity or water from the light, gas and water division without the same passing through a metering device for measuring quantities of consumption for billing; 8. Fabricating or using a device to pick or otherwise tamper with the locks used to deter current diversion, meter tampering and meter thefts; 9. Diverting the gas, electricity or water of another without the consent of the person liable for payment to light, gas and water division and knowingly using gas, electricity or water which has been diverted. B. Any person in possession of the premises as owner, occupant or tenant who is found to have an electric, gas or water meter tampered with or found to have diverted electricity, gas or water of another in violation of this section or receiving electricity, gas or water as a result of some method of diversion described above, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and such receipt of gas, electricity or water shall be deemed prima facie evidence in a prosecution under this section. C. This section shall not apply to installation and action done pursuant to instructions of appropriate officials of the light, gas and water division. (Code 1967, § 22-60; Code 1985, § 20-24; Ord. No. 2308, § 1, 9-9-1975; Ord. No. 4022, § 1(1)—(3), 3-5-1991)

Source: City of Memphis, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tn/memphis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT10PUPEMOWE_CH10-16THREOFFetched: 10/28/2026