What is the origin and history of the term &quot;grand theft auto&quot;?
<p><em>This comes from an English Language Lerner's Stack Exchange <a href="https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/96757/why-grand-theft-auto-not-grand-auto-theft">question</a>, the current answers to which are lacking in historical/legal analysis of the term.</em></p>

<p>What is the origin of the legal phrase "grand theft auto"? In particular, is there any legal or historical rationale for the ordering of the terms? (E.g. why isn't it "grand theft of auto" or "auto grand theft" or even "grand auto theft".)</p>

<p>There are some claims that it's simply an elision of a comma ("grand theft, auto") implying that it's a simplification of something like an entry in an (alphabetized) list of crimes. Others have indicated that there might be some Law French or Latin influence in putting the descriptor last (along the lines of "courts martial"). Are either of these accurate with the historical origin of the term, or is there some other reason?</p>

<p>"Grand theft, auto" is specific crime in some jurisdictions. It's not a universal legal phrase. Furthermore, it is a slang expression like "Murder One." I doubt any jurisdiction has a crime of "Grand theft, auto." It might be "Grand theft, automobile."</p>

<p>"Theft" or "larceny" is a common law crime. "Grand theft" (or "Grand Larceny") is statutory crime that usually imposes a higher penalty for the theft of a higher value item(s). Not all jurisdictions even have "grand theft."</p>

<p>The taking of an automobile may be defined as a simple larceny or it may be defined as a separate crime of auto theft.  In New Jersey (a model penal code state), automobile theft is just theft with different penalties or the separate crime of joyriding.</p>

<p>Penal codes are normally arranged with in taxonomy structure. Typically it would like something like:</p>

<ul>
<li>Property Crimes

<ul>
<li>Theft

<ul>
<li>Grand Theft 

<ul>
<li>auto
going from general to specific.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<p>In New York, there are "Theft crimes" (with robbery and larceny being types of theft).The taking of an automobile is just a larceny. However, over $1,000 in value makes it a grand larceny.</p>

<p>The bottom line is "Grand theft, auto" is a slang term that refers to the statutory crime of grand theft where there are specific provisions for the theft of an automobile.</p>

theft legal-terms