List of random crimes
This is a list of random crimes you can use to inspire your writing. Please don't use this list to inspire your latest real-life crime!
Ranging from serious crimes against other people to purely bizarre reasons to be locked up, there is something in this list for every (fictional) occasion.
Keep in mind this list does contain some disturbing themes. If you'd rather avoid the most disturbing crimes, I suggest you skip the "serious crimes" category.
If you’d like to add the element of fun to perusing this list, you can check out my random crime generator!
List of random crimes
Serious crimes
Murder
Manslaughter
Attempted murder
Assault
Battery
Aggravated assault
Domestic violence
Coercive control
Child abuse
Elder abuse
Kidnapping
False imprisonment
Human trafficking
Stalking
Harassment
Reckless endangerment
Torture
Threatening to kill someone
Criminal negligence causing death
Forced marriage
Animal cruelty :(
Property related crimes
Theft
Robbery
Burglary
Arson
Vandalism
Trespassing
Possession of stolen property
Graffiti
Looting
Squatting
Tampering with someone's utility meter
Stealing a public statue
Stealing a street sign
Breaking and entering
Stealing someone's mail
Car theft
Joyriding
White collar crimes
Extortion
Fraud
Embezzlement
Insider trading
Money laundering
Bribery
Corruption
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Tax evasion
Identity theft
Insurance fraud
Running a Ponzi scheme
Running a pyramid scheme
Corporate espionage
Price gouging
Forging art
False advertising
Greenwashing
Selling fake goods online
Theft of intellectual property
Using offshore shell companies to avoid paying tax
Impersonating a charity
Leaking confidential information online
Selling prescription drugs online
Environmental crimes
Dumping of toxic waste
Fracking without a permit
Destroying the habitat of endangered animals
Fishing without a permit
Committing arson for insurance purposes
Concealment of an oil spill
Abandoning a ship at sea
Dumping of hazardous materials at sea
Smuggling protected plants
Tampering with fire alarms
Tampering with electric vehicle chargers
Pretending to rescue animals when you really kidnapped them
Cybercrimes
Hacking
Phishing
Trolling
Ransomware attacks
Cyberstalking
Data breaches
Deepfake scams
Revenge porn
Blackmailing online
Doxxing
Impersonating someone online
Digitally altering evidence, such as CCTV footage
Cryptocurrency scams
Selling something on the dark web
Domain squatting (using an internet domain with the intent to profit from another person's brand, such as using Facebok.com to impersonate Facebook.com)
Stealing identity documents online
AI-enabled crime, such as using AI to automate cyber attacks or to create deepfakes
SIM card swapping (stealing someone's phone number)
Data scraping (illegally collecting someone's personal information)
Pharming (redirecting traffic to fake websites)
Malware
Cyberbullying
Spoofing caller IDs
Public order crimes
Harbouring a fugitive
Public intoxication
Disorderly conduct
Participating in a riot
Obstruction of justice
Perjury
Contempt of court
Witness tampering
Resisting arrest
Impersonating a police officer
Vigilantism
Gambling
Indecent exposure
Desecration of a grave
Flying drones in a restricted area
Making noise after 10pm
Unusual crimes
Destruction of property by drone
Witchcraft
Impersonating royalty
Practising medicine without a license
Practising law without a license
Impersonating someone else
Keeping an illegal pet, such as wildlife or a tiger
Failing to return a shopping trolley
Failing to close a gate when passing through farmland (the cows will escape!)
Flying an unregistered hot air balloon
Keeping more than 110 gallons of rainwater in Colorado
Highway robbery
Fishing without a permit
Singing obscene songs in public
Keeping a ferret without a license
Stealing sand from the beach
Failing to pick up dog poop
Selling a haunted house (without disclosing its past!)
Feeding wildlife
Stealing a library book
Stealing from a supermarket
Body snatching (stealing or acquiring a corpse to sell to an anatomy school)
Disturbing a burial site
Failing to bury the dead during a plague
Stealing a coffin
Conducting an unauthorized autopsy
Necromancy
Divination
Performing alchemy without a license
Astrology
Interpreting dreams
Historical crimes
Sorcery
Heresy
Blasphemy
Treason
Sedition
Adultery
Duelling in public
Poaching on royal land
Piracy (literal piracy, on the sea!)
Coin clipping (clipping the ends off coins and using the clippings to create more coins)
Corrupting clergy
Counterfeiting royal seals
Bigamy (the act of marrying someone while already married)
Seditious libel (publishing statements to undermine government or royalty)
Working on the Sabbath
Grave robbing
Possession of banned books
Failure to attend church
Moonshining
Failing to bow to the king
Speaking ill of a dead monarch
Apostasy (abandoning one's religion)
Violating fasting during Lent
Charging interest on loans
Fortune telling
Wearing clothing or a colour that was above your rank
Displaying a family crest without the proper lineage
Pretending to be a knight
Eating foods reserved for royalty
Marrying above one's class without consent
Owning too many servants
Stealing cows or sheep
Stealing a hunting bird
Stealing a holy relic
Killing someone in a duel (you may have survived yourself, but your victory will be short lived!)
All the best with your writing endeavours! If you're not ready to go back to writing and feel you need more procrastination time (I mean…planning time), why don't you look at my developmental editing services or free writing advice?