6. if the theft has been perpetrated by an official who availed himself of his official
position, and
7. in cases other than minor, if the theft has been perpetrated for a second time;
8. if the theft has been committed from the grave of a deceased person;
9. (new, SG No. 62/1997) if the theft has been perpetrated by a person under Article 142,
paragraph (2), subparagraphs 6 and 8;
10. (new, SG No. 26/2004, amended, SG No. 33/2011, effective 27.05.2011) if the object
of theft includes explosive substances, pyrotechnic articles, arms or ammunitions for firearms;
11. (new, SG No. 101/2017) if the theft is for the purpose of raising funds to commit a
crime under Article 108a (1), (2), (6) or (7);
12. (new, SG No. 7/2019) if the object of the theft is a motor transportation vehicle.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 28/1982, SG No. 10/1993, SG No. 92/2002, effective 1.01.2005
with respect to the punishment of probation - amended, SG No. 26/2004, effective 1.01.2004, SG
No. 103/2004, effective 1.01.2005) For large scale theft the punishment shall be imprisonment
for three to fifteen years, whereas the court may rule confiscation of up to one half of the
perpetrator's property.
(3) (New, SG No. 26/2004, amended, SG No. 102/2006, SG No. 102/2008, SG No.
93/2009, amended and supplemented, SG No. 33/2011, effective 27.05.2011, amended, SG No.
79/2015, effective 1.11.2015) The punishment under Paragraph 2 shall also be imposed for theft
of explosive substances, firearms or ammunitions for firearms from the structural units of the
Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Bulgarian Army, the structures reporting to the
Minister of Defence, the State Reserve and Wartime Stocks State Agency, the National Security
State Agency, the Security Directorate General and the Enforcement Directorate General of the
Ministry of Justice, the State Intelligence Agency and the National Security Service.
(4) (Amended, SG No. 28/1982, SG No. 10/1993, renumbered from Paragraph 3, SG No.
26/2004) In minor cases under sub-paragraphs 2 and 6 of paragraph (1), the punishment shall be
imprisonment for up to one year or probation, or a fine from BGN one hundred to three hundred.
(5) (Renumbered from Paragraph 4, amended, SG No. 26/2004, SG No. 7/2019) For
preparation for theft under paragraph (1), items 3, 4 and 12, the punishment shall be
imprisonment of up to three years, or probation.
Article 196
(1) (Amended, SG No. 10/1993) For theft which constitutes a case of dangerous
recidivism, the punishment shall be:
1. in the cases under Article 194, paragraph (1) - imprisonment for two to ten years;
2. (supplemented, SG No. 26/2004) in the cases of Article 195, paragraphs (1) and (2) imprisonment of three to fifteen years, and in cases under Article 195, paragraph 3 imprisonment of five to fifteen years.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 92/2002, effective 1.01.2005 with respect to the punishment of
probation - amended, SG No. 26/2004, effective 1.01.2004, SG No. 103/2004, effective
1.01.2005) The court may rule confiscation of up to one half of the perpetrator's property
Article 196a
(New, SG No. 89/1986, amended, SG No. 10/1993, SG No. 75/2006)
For theft in particularly large amounts, representing a particularly grave case, the
punishment shall be imprisonment from ten to twenty years and confiscation of the whole or part