Whoever, being a Postal Service officer or employee, takes or steals any newspaper or package of newspapers from any post office or from any person having custody thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §319 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §196, 35 Stat. 1126).
Theft provisions alone are retained in this section. Those relating to other offenses were incorporated in section 1703 of this title.
Words "mail or" following "steals any" were omitted as covered by section 1709 of this title.
Changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $100".
1970—Pub. L. 91–375 substituted "Postal Service officer or employee" for "postmaster or Postal Service employee".
Effective Date of 1970 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–375 effective within 1 year after Aug. 12, 1970, on date established therefor by Board of Governors of United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.
Tried the LawStack mobile app?
Join thousands and try LawStack mobile for FREE today.
- Carry the law offline, wherever you go.
- Download CFR, USC, rules, and state law to your mobile device.
