Someone stole a pickup truck that had attached to it a camper containing camping equipment. The police recovered the truck and camper but not the equipment. Which offense best fits this scenario?

• A. Burglary Forced Entry
• B. Robbery— Other Dangerous Weapon (3c)
• C. Aggravated Assault—Other Dangerous Weapon
• D. MV Theft

Answer: (D)

The key idea is identifying the offense by what was actually taken. A motor vehicle was stolen—the pickup truck itself. Theft of a motor vehicle covers taking a self-propelled vehicle with the intent to permanently deprive the owner, and the fact that the truck had a camper attached doesn’t change the core act: the vehicle was stolen. The missing camping equipment isn’t needed to satisfy the basic element of MV Theft, though it could lead to separate theft charges for the equipment itself if applicable.

The other options don’t fit because they involve force, weapons, or intrusions into a structure, or crimes against a person, none of which are described here. There’s no indication of breaking into a building, using a weapon, or harming someone; the scenario centers on taking a vehicle.