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City of Richmond Heights, MO
St. Louis County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of tampering if he or she:
1. 
Tampers with property of another for the purpose of causing substantial inconvenience to that person or to another;
2. 
Unlawfully enters in or upon another's automobile, airplane, motorcycle, motorboat, or other motor-propelled vehicle; for the purposes of this Subsection, "enter" shall mean being physically present in or accessing a vehicle in a way that would lead a reasonable person to believe such conduct was in furtherance of a crime or offense. Tests or pulls any doors or windows of successive structures or vehicles, or opens or attempts to open the trunk of successive vehicles, that the person does not own or lease, in a way that would lead a reasonable person to believe said conduct was in furtherance of a crime or offense. For purposes of this Subsection, "successive" shall mean more than one (1) structure or vehicle. It shall be an affirmative defense if the person proves he or she had permission from the owners of the homes or vehicles; or
[Ord. No. 5492, 4-18-2022]
3. 
Tampers or makes connection with property of a utility; or
4. 
Tampers with, or causes to be tampered with, any meter or other property of an electric, gas, steam or water utility, the effect of which tampering is either:
a. 
To prevent the proper measuring of electric, gas, steam or water service; or
b. 
To permit the diversion of any electric, gas, steam or water service.
B. 
In any prosecution under paragraph (4) of Subsection (A) proof that a meter or any other property of a utility has been tampered with, and the person or persons accused received the use or direct benefit of the electric, gas, steam or water service with one (1) or more of the effects described in paragraph (4) of Subsection (A), shall be sufficient to support an inference which the trial court may submit to the trier of fact from which the trier of fact may conclude that there has been a violation of such subdivision by the person or persons who use or receive the direct benefit of the electric, gas, steam or water service.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.090, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of tampering with computer data if he or she knowingly and without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he or she has such authorization:
1. 
Modifies or destroys data or programs residing or existing internal to a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
2. 
Modifies or destroys data or programs or supporting documentation residing or existing external to a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
3. 
Discloses or takes data, programs or supporting documentation, residing or existing internal or external to a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
4. 
Discloses or takes a password, identifying code, personal identification number, or other confidential information about a computer system or network that is intended to or does control access to the computer system or network; or
5. 
Accesses a computer, a computer system, or a computer network, and intentionally examines information about another person: or
6. 
Receives, retains, uses, or discloses any data he or she knows or believes was obtained in violation of this Section.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.095, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of tampering with computer equipment if he or she knowingly and without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he or she has such authorization:
1. 
Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes equipment or data storage devices used or intended to be used in a computer, computer system, or computer network.
2. 
Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes any computer, computer system, or computer network.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.097, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of tampering with computer users if he or she knowingly and without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he or she has such authorization:
1. 
Accesses or causes to be accessed any computer, computer system, or computer network; or
2. 
Denies or causes the denial of computer system services to an authorized user of such computer system services.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.099, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of property damage if:
1. 
He or she knowingly vandalizes, defaces or otherwise damages property of another; or
2. 
He or she damages property for the purpose of defrauding an insurer.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.120, 574.085, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
A person does not commit an offense by damaging, tampering with, operating, riding in or upon or making connection with property of another if he or she does so under a claim of right and has reasonable grounds to believe he or she has such a right.
B. 
The defendant shall have the burden of injecting the issue of claim of right.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
Trespass Unlawful In City.
1. 
A person commits the offense of trespass if he or she enters unlawfully or knowingly remains unlawfully in a building or inhabitable structure or upon real property, or climbs or skateboards upon a City structure that has been posted with notice prohibiting such climbing or skateboarding at the direction of the City Administrator.
2. 
A person commits the offense of trespass of a school bus if he or she knowingly and unlawfully enters any part of or unlawfully operates any school bus. For the purposes of this Subsection, the terms "unlawfully enters" and "unlawfully operates" refer to any entry or operation of a school bus which is not:
a. 
Approved of and established in a school district's written policy on access to school buses; or
b. 
Authorized by specific written approval of the school board.
B. 
Definitions. As used in this Section, a person "enters unlawfully or remains unlawfully" in or upon premises when he or she is not licensed or privileged to do so. A person who, regardless of his or her purpose, enters or remains in or upon premises which are at the time open to the public does so with license and privilege unless he or she defies a lawful order not to enter or remain, personally communicated to him or her by the owner of such premises or by other authorized person. A license or privilege to enter or remain in a building which is only partly open to the public is not a license or privilege to enter or remain in that part of the building which is not open to the public.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Sections 569.010, 569.140 — 569.155, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A person commits the offense of trespass of a school bus if he or she knowingly and unlawfully enters any part of or unlawfully operates any school bus.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of reckless burning or exploding if he or she recklessly starts a fire or causes an explosion and thereby damages or destroys the property of another.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.060, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of negligent burning or exploding if he or she with criminal negligence causes damage to property, woodlands, or grasslands of another by: (1) starting a fire or causing an explosion; or (2) allowing a fire burning on lands in his or her possession or control onto the property of another.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 569.065, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
The lighting of any private property that illuminates or casts glare onto any other property and unreasonably and substantially interferes with the use or enjoyment of such other property is prohibited. In furtherance of this requirement, lighting of private property shall be so arranged or designed to direct light away from adjoining properties as much as possible. Lights shall be arranged, installed or shaded so that no part of the lighting filament is visible and casts glare to any point beyond the property line of the premises so illuminated. Floodlights and spotlights shall be shielded if necessary to prevent illumination or glare onto adjoining properties and streets. Provided, however, that lighting on existing athletic fields and other recreational facilities need not comply with this Section until such time as such existing lighting systems are replaced.
B. 
Anyone who fails or refuses to correct excessive illumination within ten (10) days after written notice from the City Manager or his or her designee shall, upon conviction, be guilty of an offense.
C. 
The property owner and occupant shall be responsible for preventing illumination of adjoining property and streets.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
No person shall remove carts, baskets or other similar devices, furnished by merchants for the convenience of customers for use on the mercantile premises, from the premises without the express consent of the merchant.
B. 
Copies of this Section shall be posted in conspicuous places in and on the mercantile premises where market carts, baskets or other devices are furnished for use by customers and on said carts, baskets or other devices.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
No person shall unlawfully remove any street waste paper cabinet, can or other containers or any part thereof from the location in which the proper authorities of the City have placed it.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
Definitions. In this Section, the word "trash" means and includes garbage, recyclables, compostables, cigarette butts, ashtray refuse, refuse, junk, brush, ashes, debris, tin cans, leaves, grass, waste matter, paper and cardboard, stone, wood, glass, rubble, rock, plaster, broken concrete, building materials, inoperative machinery or vehicles.
B. 
Littering. No person shall place, throw, deposit, or cause to be placed, thrown or deposited trash on any vacant or occupied property, whether owned by such person or not, or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, public property, or into any stormwater drainage channel or upon the public easement adjoining said channel in the City.
C. 
The owner or person in control of any private property shall, at all times, maintain the premises free of trash.
D. 
This Section shall not prohibit the accumulation or storage of trash in accordance produced as an incident to the lawful use of the same premises where accumulated or stored where such accumulation or storage:
1. 
Is pending removal or disposal;
2. 
Does not exceed seven (7) consecutive days;
3. 
Is within containers, or is done in such other manner as not to constitute a threat to public health or safety; and
4. 
Is screened from the view of persons upon adjacent property or rights-of way, except on a day scheduled for collection when it may be placed adjacent to the public right-of-way adjoining the premises.
E. 
No person shall throw, drop or permit to blow or allow to be thrown, dropped or blown, any litter from any motor vehicle.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
No person shall take from the public library of the City any book, pamphlet, periodical, phonograph record or other property except in accordance with the rules of the library.
B. 
No person shall borrow from the public library any book, pamphlet, periodical, phonograph record or other property and neglect to return the property within two (2) weeks from the mailing of a notice to his or her last known address to return such property.
C. 
No person shall willfully and wantonly cut, mutilate, mark, tear, write upon, deface, or otherwise destroy or injure, in whole or in part, any book, pamphlet, periodical, map, document, phonograph record or picture belonging to the public library or suffer any such injury to be inflicted while the property is in his or her custody. He or she shall not willfully or wantonly injure any of the furniture or property in the buildings of the public library.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of stealing if he or she appropriates property or services of another with the purpose to deprive him or her thereof, either without his or her consent or by means of deceit or coercion. However, a person shall not be deemed to have stolen video service if the video company provides unsolicited services or fails to change or disconnect service within ten (10) days after receiving written notice to do so by its customer. Additionally, a person does not commit an offense under this Section if, at the time of the appropriation, he or she: (1) acted in the honest belief that he or she had the right to do so; or (2) acted in the honest belief that the owner, if present, would have consented to the appropriation.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.030, 570.039 and 570.070, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of receiving stolen property if, for the purpose of depriving the owner of a lawful interest therein, he or she receives, retains or disposes of property of another knowing that it has been stolen or believing that it has been stolen.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.030, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability if such person knowingly obtains control over the property of the elderly person or person with a disability with the intent to permanently deprive the person of the use, benefit or possession of his or her property thereby benefiting the offender or detrimentally affecting the elderly person or person with a disability by:
1. 
Deceit;
2. 
Coercion:
3. 
Creating or confirming another person's impression which is false and which the offender does not believe to be true;
4. 
Failing to correct a false impression which the offender previously has created or confirmed;
5. 
Preventing another person from acquiring information pertinent to the disposition of the property involved;
6. 
Selling or otherwise transferring or encumbering property, failing to disclose a lien, adverse claim or other legal impediment to the enjoyment of the property, whether such impediment is or is not valid, or is or is not a matter of official record;
7. 
Promising performance which the offender does not intend to perform or knows will not be performed; or
8. 
Undue influence, which means the use of influence by someone who exercises authority over an elderly person or person with a disability in order to take unfair advantage of that person's vulnerable state of mind, neediness, pain, or agony, and which includes but is not limited to the improper or fraudulent use of a power of attorney, guardianship, conservatorship, or other fiduciary authority.
B. 
It shall be unlawful in violation of this Section for any person receiving or in the possession of funds of a Medicaid eligible elderly person or person with a disability residing in a facility licensed under Chapter 198, RSMo., to fail to remit to the facility in which the Medicaid eligible person resides all money owing the facility resident from any source, including, but not limited to, social security, railroad retirement, or payments from any other source disclosed as resident income contained in the records of the Department of Social Services, Family Support Division or its successor.
C. 
Nothing in this Section shall be construed to impose liability on a person who has made a good faith effort to assist the elderly person or person with a disability in the management of his or her property, but through no fault of his or her own has been unable to provide such assistance.
D. 
Nothing in this Section shall limit the ability to engage in bona fide estate planning, to transfer property, and to otherwise seek to reduce estate and inheritance taxes; provided that such actions do not adversely impact the standard of living to which the elderly person or person with a disability has become accustomed at the time of such actions.
E. 
It shall not be a defense to financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability that the accused reasonably believed that the victim was not an elderly person or person with a disability.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.145, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of fraudulent use of a credit device or debit device if he or she uses a credit device or debit device for the purpose of obtaining services or property knowing that:
1. 
The device is stolen, fictitious or forged;
2. 
The device has been revoked or canceled;
3. 
For any other reason his or her use of the device is unauthorized; or
4. 
Uses a credit device or debit device for the purpose of paying property taxes and knowingly cancels such charges or payment without just cause. It shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Subsection if a person cancels such charges or payment after obtaining a property tax receipt to obtain license tags from the Missouri Department of Revenue.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.130, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of fraudulently stopping payment of an instrument if he or she, with the purpose to defraud, stops payment on a check, draft, or debit device used in payment for the receipt of goods or services. It shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Section if a person stops payment on a check, draft or debit device and fails to make good the check, draft or debit device transaction, or fails to return or make and comply with reasonable arrangements to return the property for which the check, draft or debit device was used in the same or substantially the same condition as when received within ten (10) days after notice in writing from the payee that the check, draft or debit device has not been paid because of a stop payment order by the issuer to the drawee. "Notice in writing" under this Section means notice deposited as certified or registered mail in the United State mail and addressed to the issuer as it appears on the dishonored check, draft or debit device transaction or to his or her last known address, containing a statement that failure to make good the check, draft or debit device transaction within ten (10) days of receipt of the notice may subject the issuer to prosecution hereunder.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.125, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A person commits the offense of fraudulent procurement of a credit or debit device if he or she: (1) knowingly makes or causes to be made, directly or indirectly, a false statement regarding another person for the purpose of procuring the issuance of a credit or debit device, or (2) knowingly obtains a means of identification of another person without the authorization of that person and uses that means of identification to obtain, or attempt to obtain, credit, goods or services in the name of the other person without the consent of that person.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.135, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of deceptive business practice if in the course of engaging in a business, occupation or profession he or she recklessly:
1. 
Uses or possesses for use a false weight or measure or any other device for falsely determining or recording any quality or quantity;
2. 
Sells, offers or exposes for sale or delivers less than the represented quantity of any commodity or service;
3. 
Takes or attempts to take more than the represented quantity of any commodity or service when as buyer he or she furnishes the weight or measure;
4. 
Sells, offers or exposes for sale adulterated or mislabeled commodities;
5. 
Makes a false or misleading written statement for the purpose of obtaining property or credit;
6. 
Promotes the sale of property or services by false or misleading statement in any advertisement, or
7. 
Advertises in any manner the sale of property or services with the purpose not to sell such property or service at the price which he or she offered them, in a quantity sufficient to meet the reasonably expected public demand unless the quantity is specifically stated in the advertisement, or at all.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.140, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of alteration or removal of item numbers if he or she with the purpose of depriving the owner of a lawful interest therein:
1. 
Destroys, removes, covers, conceals, alters, defaces or causes to be destroyed, removed, covered, concealed, altered or defaced the manufacturer's original serial number or other distinguishing owner-applied number or mark on any item which bears a serial number attached by the manufacturer or distinguishing number or mark applied by the owner of the item for any reason whatsoever;
2. 
Sells, offers for sale, pawns or uses as security for a loan any item on which the manufacturer's original serial number or other distinguishing owner-applied number or mark has been destroyed, removed, covered, concealed, altered or defaced; or
3. 
Buys, receives as security for a loan or in pawn, or in any manner receives or has in his or her possession any item on which the manufacturer's original serial number or other distinguishing owner-applied number or mark has been destroyed, removed, covered, concealed, altered or defaced.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.085, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of stealing leased or rented property if, with the intent to deprive the owner thereof, such person:
1. 
Purposely fails to return leased or rented personal property to the place and within the time specified in an agreement in writing providing for the leasing or renting of such personal property;
2. 
Conceals or aids or abets the concealment of the property from the owner;
3. 
Sells, encumbers, conveys, pawns, loans, abandons or gives away the leased or rented property or any part thereof without the written consent of the lessor, or without informing the person to whom the property is transferred to that the property is subject to a lease;
4. 
Returns the property to the lessor at the end of the lease term, plus any agreed upon extensions, but does not pay the lease charges agreed upon in the written instrument, with the intent to wrongfully deprive the lessor of the agreed upon charges.
B. 
The provisions of this Section shall apply to all forms of leasing and rental agreements, including, but not limited to, contracts which provide the consumer options to buy the leased or rented personal property, lease-purchase agreements and rent-to-own contracts. For the purpose of determining if a violation of this Section has occurred, leasing contracts which provide options to buy the merchandise are owned by the owner of the property until such time as the owner endorses the sale and transfer of ownership of the leased property to the lessee.
C. 
Evidence that a lessee used a false, fictitious, or not current name, address or place of employment in obtaining the property or that a lessee fails or refuses to return the property or pay the lease charges to the lessor within seven (7) days after written demand for the return has been sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address the person set forth in the lease agreement, or in the absence of the address, to the person's last known place of residence, shall be evidence of intent to violate the provisions of the Section, except that if a motor vehicle has not been returned within seventy-two (72) hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, such failure to return the motor vehicle shall be prima facie evidence of the intent of the offense of stealing leased or rented property. Where the leased or rented property is a motor vehicle, if the motor vehicle has not been returned within seventy-two (72) hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, the lessor may notify the local law enforcement agency of the failure of the lessee to return such motor vehicle, and the local law enforcement agency shall cause such motor vehicle to be put into any appropriate State and local computer system listing stolen motor vehicles. Any Law Enforcement Officer which stops such a motor vehicle may seize the motor vehicle and notify the lessor that he or she may recover such motor vehicle after it is photographed and its vehicle identification number is recorded for evidentiary purposes. Where the leased or rented property is not a motor vehicle, if such property has not been returned within the seven-day period prescribed in this Subsection, the owner of the property shall report the failure to return the property to the local law enforcement agency, and such law enforcement agency may within five (5) days notify the person who leased or rented the property that such person is in violation of this Section, and that failure to immediately return the property may subject such person to arrest for the violation.
D. 
This Section shall not apply if such personal property is a vehicle and such return is made more difficult or expensive by a defect in such vehicle which renders such vehicle inoperable if the lessee shall notify the lessor of the location of such vehicle and such defect before the expiration of the lease or rental agreement or within ten (10) days after proper notice.
E. 
Any person who has leased or rented personal property of another who destroys such property so as to avoid returning it to the owner commits the offense of property damage pursuant to Section 215.300 in addition to being in violation of this Section.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.057, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016[1]]
A. 
A person commits the offense of passing a bad check when he or she:
1. 
With the purpose to defraud, makes, issues or passes a check or other similar sight order or any other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information for the payment of money knowing that it will not be paid by the drawee or that there is no such drawee; or
2. 
Makes, issues or passes a check or other similar sight order or any other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information for the payment of money, knowing that there are insufficient funds in or on deposit with that account for the payment of such check, sight order or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information in full and all other checks, sight orders or other forms of presentment involving the transmission of account information upon such funds then outstanding, or that there is no such account or no drawee and fails to pay the check or sight order or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information within ten (10) days after receiving actual notice in writing that it has not been paid because of insufficient funds or credit with the drawee or because there is no such drawee.
B. 
As used in Subparagraph (2) of Subsection (A) of this Section, "actual notice in writing" means notice of the non-payment which is actually received by the defendant. Such notice may include the service of summons or warrant upon the defendant for the initiation of the prosecution of the check or checks which are the subject matter of the prosecution if the summons or warrant contains information of the ten-day period during which the instrument may be paid and that payment of the instrument within such ten-day period will result in dismissal of the charges. The requirement of notice shall also be satisfied for written communications which are tendered to the defendant and which the defendant refuses to accept.
[1]
State Law Reference: See Section 570.120, RSMo.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this Section, the following definitions shall apply:
MERCANTILE ESTABLISHMENT
Any mercantile place of business in, at or from which goods, wares and merchandise are sold, offered for sale or delivered from and sold at retail or wholesale.
MERCHANDISE
All goods, wares and merchandise offered for sale or displayed by a merchant.
MERCHANT
Any corporation, partnership, association or person who is engaged in the business of selling goods, wares and merchandise in a mercantile establishment.
WRONGFUL TAKING
Includes stealing of merchandise or money and any other wrongful appropriation of merchandise or money.
B. 
Any merchant, his or her agent or employee, who has reasonable grounds or probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a wrongful taking of merchandise or money from a mercantile establishment, may detain such person in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time for the purpose of investigating whether there has been a wrongful taking of such merchandise or money. Any such reasonable detention shall not constitute an unlawful arrest or detention, nor shall it render the merchant, his or her agent or employee criminally or civilly liable to the person so detained.
C. 
Any person willfully concealing unpurchased merchandise of any mercantile establishment, either on the premises or outside the premises of such establishment, shall be presumed to have so concealed such merchandise with the intention of committing a wrongful taking of such merchandise within the meaning of Subsection (A), and the finding of such unpurchased merchandise concealed upon the person or among the belongings of such person shall be evidence of reasonable grounds and probable cause for the detention in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time of such person by a merchant, his or her agent or employee in order that recovery of such merchandise may be effected, and any such reasonable detention shall not be deemed to be unlawful nor render such merchant, his or her agent or employee criminally or civilly liable.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
A. 
No person shall knowingly present for sale any stolen ferrous or non-ferrous metal, including, but not limited to, copper property or HVAC components.
B. 
No person shall mutilate, deface or otherwise damage any personal or real property owned by another person for the purpose of obtaining ferrous or non-ferrous metals, without written permission from the owner.
[Ord. No. 5349 § 1, 12-19-2016]
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any theft detection shielding device, theft detection device remover or tool, instrument, article, box or box adapted, modified, constructed, designed or used for committing or facilitating offenses involving theft or stealing in a public place with intent to use such item for theft or stealing or with knowledge that some person intends to use the same in committing a theft or stealing.