(A) A person commits the offense of retail theft when he knowingly:
(1) Takes possession of, carries away, transfers, or causes to be carried away or transferred, any merchandise displayed, held, stored, or offered for sale in a retail mercantile establishment with the intention of retaining the merchandise or with the intention of depriving the merchant permanently of the possession, use, or benefit of the merchandise without paying the full retail value of the merchandise; or
(2) Alters, transfers, or removes any label, price tag, marking, indication of value, or any other markings which aid in determining the value affixed to any merchandise displayed, held, stored, or offered for sale, in a retail mercantile establishment and attempts to purchase the merchandise personally or in consort with another at less than the full retail value with the intention of depriving the merchant of the full retail value of the merchandise; or
(3) Transfers any merchandise displayed, held, stored, or offered for sale, in a retail mercantile establishment from the container in or on which the merchandise is displayed to any other container with the intention of depriving the merchant of the full retail value of the merchandise; or
(4) Under-rings with the intention of depriving the merchant of the full retail value of the merchandise; or
(5) Removes a shopping cart from the premises of a retail mercantile establishment without the consent of the merchant given at the time of removal with the intention of depriving the merchant permanently of the possession, use, or benefit of the cart.
(6) Represents to a merchant that he or another is the lawful owner of property, knowing that such representation is false, and conveys or attempts to convey that property to a merchant who is the owner of the property in exchange for money, merchandise credit, or other property of the merchant.
(B) Retail theft of property, the full retail value of which does not exceed $300, is a misdemeanor. Subsequent convictions regardless of amount are felonies and must be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(ILCS Ch. 720, Act 5, §§ 16A-3, 16A-10) Penalty, see § 130.99