Can I get charged with theft if I narrowed something from a friend and it didn't get returned and I offered to replace the item?

Question

Can I get charged with theft if I narrowed something from a friend and it didn't get returned and I offered to replace the item?

Answer

It depends on whether your friend will file criminal charges, and if the police will care enough to go froward with those charges.

Usually, something like this is a really a civil matter. Theft is when you actually when there is an INTENT to DEPRIVE. You would have actually had to take the item from your friend intended to steal it.