The law stipulates that you can go to jail for stealing how much money you steal

According to article 1 of the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate's Interpretation on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Theft: Theft of public or private property with a value of 1,000 to 3,000 RMB, 30,000 to 100,000 RMB, or 300,000 to 500,000 RMB or more shall be respectively found to be a "relatively large amount", "huge amount", or "especially huge amount" as provided for in article 264 of the Criminal Law.

Therefore, the high people's courts and people's procuratorates of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, on the basis of the economic development situation of their respective regions and consider the state of public security, determine the specific monetary standards to be enforced in their respective regions within the range of amounts provided for in the preceding paragraph, and report to the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate for approval.

For a closer look, it is recommended to read the "Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Theft".

The minimum penalty prescribed by law is 1,000-3,000 yuan. Each locality has different starting points for punishment according to its own economic level. Shanghai is 2000 yuan. Pickpocketing halved.

Stealing between 1,000 and 3,000 RMB constitutes a crime and is sentenced to imprisonment for up to three years, short-term detention or controlled release, and/or a fine; where the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances, a sentence of between 3 and 10 years imprisonment and a concurrent fine is to be given. Article 1 of the "Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate Interpretation on the Issue of the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Theft" Article 1: Where the value of public or private property is between 1,000 and 3,000 RMB, 30,000 to 100,000 RMB, or 300,000 to 500,000 RMB, it shall be respectively found to be a "relatively large amount", "huge amount", or "especially huge amount" as provided for in article 264 of the Criminal Law. The high people's courts and people's procuratorates of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, on the basis of the economic development situation of their respective regions and consider the state of public security, determine the specific monetary standards for enforcement in their respective regions within the range of amounts provided for in the preceding paragraph, and report to the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate for approval.

Where theft is made from public transportation that runs across regions, and the location of the theft cannot be verified, whether the amount stolen reaches a "relatively large amount", "huge amount", or "especially huge amount before stupidity", shall be determined on the basis of the relevant monetary standards determined by the high people's court or people's procuratorate of the province, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality where the case is accepted. Where the theft of contraband such as narcotics is known, it shall be handled as the crime of theft, and the punishment is to be based on the severity of the circumstances.

Legal analysis: 500 to 2,000 yuan or more constitutes a criminal case. Where the value of stolen property reaches 1,000 or more, it is a relatively large amount of theft under the Criminal Law, and criminal responsibility may be pursued.

Legal basis: Article 264 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China: Whoever steals public or private property, where the amount is relatively large or has multiple thefts, is to be sentenced to up to three years imprisonment, short-term detention or controlled release, and/or a fine; where the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances, a sentence of up to 3 years imprisonment and a concurrent fine is to be given; where the amount is especially huge or there are other especially serious circumstances, a sentence of 10 or more years imprisonment or indefinite imitation imprisonment is to be given, and a concurrent fine or confiscation of property is to be given; In any of the following circumstances, the sentence is life imprisonment or the death penalty of impersonators, and confiscation of property: (1) theft of financial institutions, where the amount is especially huge; (2) Theft of precious cultural relics, where the circumstances are serious.