Upgrades theft to a crime of the first degree if amount involved is $500,000 or more.

This bill would upgrade theft of $500,000 or more to a first-degree crime in New Jersey, the most serious criminal classification. Currently, theft of $75,000 or more is a second-degree crime, but this bill sets $500,000 as the new threshold for the highest penalty. It applies to any theft where the amount involved is $500,000 or more, regardless of the property type. This change increases penalties for large-scale thefts without altering penalties for other theft categories, such as those involving human remains or controlled substances.