Larceny takes place when a person trespasses, then illegally takes someone's personal belongings against their will. The thief fully intends to take physical control over the property, and never plans on returning the item to its rightful owner. The thief wants to take the property away from where he or she stole it, and then keep what he or she took for their own use. In the United States, there are two different types of larceny. These are known as grand larceny and petit larceny. Which type of larceny the theft ends up being has to do with the value of the belongings that were stolen. Larceny is known as a common law crime against possession, but it has become a statutory crime in many states.