The crimes of theft, robbery, and burglary are commonly lumped together because most people believe they involve the unlawful taking of someone else’s property. While theft and robbery are very similar crimes that involve the taking or attempted taking of personal property, burglary is slightly different. Let’s take a look at each of these crimes, what they have in common, and how they differ.

Theft

Theft is sometimes known as larceny, petty theft, grand theft, or by similar names, depending on the state in which you live and the circumstances of the crime. Theft is one of the most commonly committed crimes. To commit a theft, you have to take someone else’s property without the owner’s consent and with the intention to permanently deprive the owner of its use or possession. Shoplifting is an example of theft.

  • Property. Theft involves the taking of personal, tangible property. You can’t be convicted of theft if, for example, you try to take someone else’s land, even though other criminal charges might apply. Theft usually involves money, physical goods, or any other physical object you can move or transport.
  • Wrongful. When you commit a theft, you act against the owner’s interests. Taking an object with the owner’s permission is not theft, unless you use deceit or trickery to try to convince the owner to allow you to have control over the item. For example, if your friend gives you her bicycle because you asked to borrow it, this isn’t theft. However, it is theft if you ask to borrow the bicycle and intend not to return it.
  • Deprive. To commit a theft you must take property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it, at the time of taking.

Robbery

Theft is taking something that doesn’t belong to you, but a robbery is taking something from a person and using force, or the threat of force, to do it. Robbery, like theft, involves taking someone’s property without the owner’s consent, but it has some elements that theft doesn’t require.

  • Person. You cannot commit a robbery unless you take something from someone else. This includes taking property that someone else is holding, as well as taking property that is within his or her control. Property within someone else’s control includes, for example, property located in a safe that a convenience store employee can access.
  • Violence. Robbery is a violent crime, but that doesn’t mean the victim has to suffer any type of injury. It’s enough to commit a robbery if you use any type of force to take property from someone. This includes taking property if you use the threat of violence. It also includes using violence or the threat of violence to take property that is under the victim’s control, even though it isn’t necessarily in that person’s possession. For example, forcing a bank clerk to open a bank vault to take money is robbery, even though the clerk doesn’t physically possess the currency.

For more detailed explanation of robbery laws, read our article Types of Robbery Charges: Varying Felony Classes.

Burglary

Though burglary is often a crime that involves theft, you don’t necessarily have to take any property to be convicted of this crime. To commit a burglary you must enter a structure or dwelling with the intent to commit a crime within it. You can be convicted without actually committing a crime within the building, and the crime you intend to commit does not have to be theft or robbery.

  • Structure. In past years, burglary crimes most often targeted breaking into someone else’s home. Today, burglary laws are much broader. You can commit burglary if you enter into any structure with the intent to commit a crime inside. For purposes of burglary laws, a “structure” includes nonresidential buildings, natural formations such as caves, and even temporary structures such as tents.
  • Breaking. Some people mistakenly believe that you have to use force or violence to enter a structure in order to commit a burglary, but that isn’t the case. You can commit a burglary even if the only force you use to enter a building is pushing open a door or slightly lifting an already unlocked and open window.
  • Entry. You can be convicted of burglary even if you don’t completely enter into a structure. For example, lifting up a window and extending your arm, or an object, to take something from inside is enough to commit a burglary.

Get Advice

Our individual approach always includes full personal attention. You can turn to your Theft Lawyer Hamilton to ask questions and get advice and support at any time. The professional will work closely with you to prepare you perfectly for the road ahead. It is our commitment to make you feel as confident as possible given the circumstances. Your lawyer will fight your case with skill, dedication and zeal and with the use of all legal tools available. The goal will be to achieve the best possible end result.

If you or a close person has been accused of theft, get in touch with us right away.