18 USC § 1710 - Theft of newspapers

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s1710"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 1710 - Theft of newspapers"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1710"
section_name: "Theft of newspapers"
chapter_number: 83
chapter_name: "POSTAL SERVICE"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(j)(20), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 778; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)"
---


# § 1710. Theft of newspapers

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.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(j)(20), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 778; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 319 (, ).

Theft provisions alone are retained in this section. Those relating to other offenses were incorporated in .

Words “mail or” following “steals any” were omitted as covered by .

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $100”.

1970— substituted “Postal Service officer or employee” for “postmaster or Postal Service employee”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Amendment by  effective within 1 year after , on date established therefor by Board of Governors of United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal Register, see , set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Postal Service.