Motor vehicle theft in Rhode Island is the unauthorized taking of another person's car, truck, motorcycle, or other motor vehicle. The charge is typically a felony under R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-41-2 with penalties up to 10 years in state prison and fines up to $5,000. Lesser charges include unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (often called "joyriding") which can be charged as a misdemeanor when the prosecution cannot prove intent to permanently deprive. The difference between joyriding and grand theft auto is the intent to keep the vehicle versus borrow it briefly. Defense work often focuses on contesting that intent element.
