English Words for "Property Crimes & Theft"

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Crime and Punishment
theft [noun]

the illegal act of taking something from a place or person without permission

Ex: The theft of confidential documents from the office led to a breach of security and serious consequences for the company .

to enter someone's property by force and without their consent, particularly to steal something

Ex: The security system prevented the burglars from breaking in .
break-in [noun]

an illegal entry into a building by using force, particularly in order to steal something

Ex: They installed security cameras to prevent any break-ins at their home .

to illegally enter a place in order to commit theft

Ex: After the suspect was caught trying to burgle the office building , he was charged with breaking and entering .
burglary [noun]

the crime of entering a building to commit illegal activities such as stealing, damaging property, etc.

Ex: Installing a security system can help deter burglaries and protect your home from intruders .

to forcibly steal a vehicle from its driver, often involving threats or violence

Ex: Shocked motorists watched as a desperate individual tried to carjack multiple vehicles during a high-speed chase .

to forcefully take control of a vehicle, like an airplane, often to take hostages or change its course

Ex: The terrorists attempted to hijack the plane to make political demands .

to take something or kidnap someone unlawfully

Ex: As the shopkeeper turned away , the shoplifter quickly snatched a few items from the shelf and concealed them in his coat .
to steal [verb]

to take something from someone or somewhere without permission or paying for it

Ex: The thief has stolen several cars in the past month .

to enter someone's land or building without permission

Ex: Trespassing onto railroad tracks is not only illegal but also extremely dangerous.

to take valuables by force

Ex: During the conquest , the soldiers despoiled the temples .

to intentionally damage something, particularly public property

Ex: Schools implemented security measures to prevent students from vandalizing facilities.

the illegal act of purposefully damaging a property belonging to another person or organization

Ex: Vandalism of public transportation facilities has become a growing concern for city officials .
stick-up [noun]

a robbery, typically involving a threat or use of force

Ex: The gang specialized in bank stick-ups .
vagrancy [noun]

the state of homelessness as a result of unemployment

Ex: Vagrancy can result from unemployment or poverty .
hold-up [noun]

a robbery, usually involving a weapon

Ex: The man was caught during a bank hold-up.
heist [noun]

‌an act of violently stealing something valuable, especially from a shop or bank

Ex: The movie is about a daring museum heist .
to lift [verb]

to steal or take away possessions that belong to others without permission

Ex: Someone lifted my phone from the table while I was distracted talking to a friend .
to loot [verb]

to steal or take goods or valuables by force, typically during a time of war or disorder

Ex: They are currently looting the village , taking whatever they can find .
mugging [noun]

the act of threatening someone or beating them in order to gain some money

Ex: She was frightened after witnessing a mugging in the park .

to steal money or valuables from someone's pocket without them noticing

Ex: He realized too late that someone had picked his pocket.

to steal small quantities or insignificant items

Ex: The mischievous teenager tried to pilfer candy from the store without being noticed .

the act of stealing small amounts or items, usually repeatedly

Ex: The store suffered losses due to pilferage by employees .

to steal or make an illegal copy of something

Ex: The artist accused the gallery of ripping off their original painting .
to rob [verb]

to take something from an organization, place, etc. without their consent, or with force

Ex: The security guard prevented a thief from robbing the jewelry store .
robbery [noun]

the crime of stealing money or goods from someone or somewhere, especially by violence or threat

Ex: He was charged with armed robbery after holding up a gas station with a gun.

to gather and take away cattle, horses, or sheep, typically illegally

Ex: They planned to rustle sheep from the farmer ’s pasture for their own profit .

to steal goods from a store by secretly taking them without paying

Ex: A community awareness campaign aimed to educate people about the consequences of shoplifting.

the act of damaging someone else's property on purpose

Ex: She reported criminal damage to her house after the storm .