The removal of things from one place to another. The carrying away of goods; one of the circumstances requisite to constitute the offense of larceny. Asportation is an essential element of common law kidnapping.
“Asportation is defined as: ‘The removal of things from one place to another. The carrying away of goods; . . . .” Asportation, then, is a transaction which continues beyond the point in time when the property of another is taken.'” State v. Grady, 93 Wis.2d 1 (1979); see also Williams v. Commonwealth, 278 Va. 633 (2009) (“Asportation is defined as carrying away of the goods. Severance of the goods from the owner and absolute control of the property by the taker, even for an instant, constitutes an asportation.”).
Asportation is connected to the crime of theft/larceny. As explained by the court in Hawpetoss v. State, 52 Wis.2d 71 (1971): “To constitute the offense of larceny from the person, not only must property be taken from the person of another but it must also be carried away or handled in one of the other manners prescribed by the statute with the requisite intent. In this case, [defendant] executed the first element by removing the watch from the person of [the victim]. At this point it seems questionable whether it could be said that the offense had been committed since the element of asportation was absent. That element was ultimately accomplished by the defendant. Therefore it appears that neither one may actually be said to have executed the entire substantive crime of theft from the person for which the other may be held vicariously liable. With regard to the crime of larceny in particular, it generally held that one may be guilty of larceny as a principal where the crime was incomplete until he contributed his aid in the asportation or taking possession and removal of the stolen property.” See also People v. Gomez, 43 Cal.4th 249 (2008) (“Larceny requires the taking of another’s property, with the intent to steal and carry it away. Taking, in turn, has two aspects: (1) achieving possession of the property, known as caption, and (2) carrying the property away, or asportation. Although the slightest movement may constitute asportation, the theft continues until the perpetrator has reached a place of temporary safety with the property.”).