[jeremy1375]

In your last post, you mentioned using a bad check and that is a completely different issue that doen't apply here.

I'll do my best to explain. If I were to go to a store and walk out with a tv and not stop at the register or make any agreement with any store personnel, I would be stealing the tv. I never legally possessed it and that is a crime.

On the other hand, if I go into a store and they offer me payment plan and we agree on it, then I walk out of the store with the tv, I've legally taken possession of the tv. I still haven't paid for it, but I've legally taken possession. At this point, the laws that govern the transaction are contractual and a civil matter. If I don't pay them, they can call me, sent my account to collections, and do all sorts of other things, but I'd be guilty of no criminal offense. The worst that could happen is a judge in a civil court could order me to give the tv back and pay some fees. But, it's up to the store to initiate that transaction with the courts. The police aren't involved in the issue.

In the case of vehicles, at least there are repo laws to get the vehicle back without going to court.

Does this explanation help to distinguish things?