Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971

Offences - Offences relating to property

57: Stealing service property or property of comrade

You could also call this:

"Stealing from the military or a fellow soldier is a serious crime"

Illustration for Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971

You commit an offence if you steal service property or property of a comrade. You can get imprisoned for up to 7 years if you do this. You also commit an offence if you fraudulently misapply service property or a comrade's property. You do not have to prove the exact amount of money or goods stolen if there is a general deficiency. If you were responsible for the accounts or records, you can be charged with the offence. You can be found guilty if it is proved that you stole or misapplied the deficient amount or part of it. If you are charged with this offence, the court will look at the accounts and records. You will be in trouble if you are found to have stolen or misapplied property. The court will decide what happens to you if you are found guilty.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM402750.

This page was last updated on 1 January 2026 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

56: False statement in order to obtain benefit, or

"Lying to get something you want is against the law"

58: Receiving service property or property of comrade, or

"Getting stolen army property is a crime"

Part 2Offences
Offences relating to property

57Stealing service property or property of comrade

Every person subject to this Act commits an offence, and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years, who—
steals—
1. any service property; or
2. any property belonging to a person subject to service law or in which a person subject to service law has a special property or interest; or
fraudulently misapplies—
1. any service property; or
2. any property belonging to a person subject to service law or in which a person subject to service law has a special property or interest.

Where any person is charged with an offence against subsection (1), it shall not be necessary to prove the stealing or fraudulent misapplication of any specific amount of money or any specific goods if, as a result of an examination of any accounts or records, it is proved that there is a general deficiency in any amount of money or in any quantity of goods for which the accused was responsible, and it is also proved that the accused stole or fraudulently misapplied the amount of money or quantity of goods which was deficient, or any part of it.